Death's Solstice
by MaddCricket
Summary: Even in Death Book 2 During the tribulations and eventual success of Color Mortis, Hermione Granger helped Severus Snape develop more than being able to feel again in the literal sense. The struggle has brought them closely together and Hermione is determined to give him back his life, but is life really what Severus wants?
1. Chapter 1

Severus had gotten used to waking up next to Hermione over the Christmas holiday, and her not being there upon awakening confused him. Still half asleep, he felt around his bed, but she was gone. Then it dawned on him. It was the start of a new term, Hermione had retreated to her dorm earlier in the night, probably just after the moon had dipped below the horizon, rendering him untouchable. He glanced at the window to the side of his bed. She had closed it, drawn the curtains. A sliver between the fabric flooded his sight with a newly risen sun, and he groaned slightly, wishing the arm he threw over his eyes would block it out, but just as his arm was see-through, the light filtered through it. He rose up, feeling groggy and left his rooms, preparing for a new day.

Breakfast was like the others, students still waking up and grumpy, it was possibly the quietest gathering of the day. He had no problem with it, finding it welcomed as he stared into a pearly cup of coffee that transformed from thin air in front of him. He already missed the taste of real coffee; the ghostly crap he and his fellow spirits were served left a lot to be admired. Though the liquid was warm, it lacked flavor. What he wouldn't have given for the moon to rise just then and allow him just one cup of coffee before the start of classes.

"Morning, Severus." Trelawney sat next to him, her magnified eyes smiled at him as she reached for her food. He tried his best to not look offended at her table manners. It was a surprise he wasn't used to them, having served next to her for over a decade. He managed a smirk.

"Good morning, Sybil. Have a good holiday?" He asked.

"It was enjoyable, yes." She tore a part of a biscuit apart, and dunked it in some grey colored gravy, and Severus' mouth began to water. It had been possible for him to eat while solid, and taste the food while under the moon. It passed right through him when he changed, however, leaving quite a mess when he'd no longer have a stomach to contain it. The food he ingested had not been broken down either, lacking the proper functions to do so, but for the most part was worth it even though the few piles he left had been nothin more but masticated bits and pieces. He had to look away from Trelawney as she finished up her biscuit.

The morning owl delivery started, owls of all sizes and shapes dove through the windows, swooping low. The light caught between their wings, causing Severus' vision to blur with the rapid change and flickering light. He looked away, down to the Slytherin table where a package had dropped into the lap of a third year girl. She opened it, squealing with joy as she pulled a new package of quills out from the wrapping. Another package was dropped off at the Hufflepuff table, but Severus was uninterested in the delivery. Instead, he had seen Hermione sitting in the next table over, surrounded by her usual friends, grasping a roll of parchment in her hand that had dropped in front of her. She was staring at it, almost turning pale, then excused herself promptly.

"Could you pass me the salt, Severus?" Trelawney asked, pulling Severus away from watching Hermione leave. He obliged.

His entrance into the potions class later that afternoon didn't carry the effect he wanted, the students were calm and collected, but having been used to him, and knowing very well he was harmless in his ghostly state, they made no actions of fear. He was tiring of seeing their faces as well, counting down the days until the end of the term would be upon them and he'd be done with this group forever. He glanced over each student as he reached the front of the classroom, sucked in a breath and ordered them to brew the potion on page forty-two. There was no pompous introduction, he didn't have anything exciting planned. It was to be another long and dreary day of potions, and knowing the students were dreading that made it that much better.

It wasn't until he glanced to the table Seamus was sitting at and saw the next chair empty, did he move. Floating toward Seamus, his eyes remaining on the empty seat, he whispered.

"Where is Granger?"

Seamus shrugged, marking his place in the book.

"I think she's transferred to Adner's potions class, sir." He answered.

Severus narrowed his eyes. Hermione had forgotten to tell him she switched classes? He jumped slightly, Seamus igniting the fire under his cauldron had caught him off guard, and he resumed his position in the front of the classroom.

...

Hermione had indeed left Severus sleeping just after the moon had disappeared. No one knew of the success of her potion, besides Draco Malfoy and she didn't want to answer to Lavender or Parvati why she didn't sleep in the Gryffindor tower. It would have been easy to explain that she passed out in Severus' room, seeing as Lavender was already privy on her fondness of him, but the relationship was still too new, still too forbidden to speak of freely. Somehow, Hermione managed to sneak her way into her own bed without being noticed. It felt cold compared to what she had grown used to, though Severus didn't put out any body heat, and being in the dungeon made the air chilly, there was a certain warmth that came from knowing he wanted her there next to him.

The first few nights had been awkward in the sense of getting herself to believe it was actually happening; what started out as blind appreciation of the man turned into an insatiable need for him without much warning. The feeling came on fast, making her head swirl whenever she thought about him. The feeling was nauseating, but enjoyable. Understanding how this time last year, thinking Severus a traitor and wanting nothing to do with him, to suddenly being lost every time his eyes connected with hers, or her stomach flopping every time he touched her was confusing, which is why she forced herself not to think too much about it.

She woke up hungry, starving really, and dressed quickly. The smells of the breakfast spread had quickly filled the corridors the closer she got to the Great Hall and found herself eagerly awaiting the flapjacks and sausage links that was to appear before her. With her friends by her side, it was hard not to steal looks at the teacher's table, not wanting to give herself away, and feared that the rosy tint and sheepish grin she couldn't help every time she passed her eyes over Severus would do just that. Just when she thought she had been caught, an owl dropped a roll of parchment in front of her. She had been expecting it, but had hoped it would find her alone rather than in the middle of a crowd. She excused herself quickly, beginning to fear the contents and left before her emotions could get the best of her.

Hermione found a quiet corner in the corridors and admired her letter. It was rolled up and stamped with a wax seal, the letters 'WAOE' unmistakeable in the wax, and her fingers trembled. She wanted to open it so badly, but found she couldn't do it. She had sent away an application to the Witches Academy of England for further studies when she'd graduate from Hogwarts. In her hands was the letter that either accepted her inquiry into the school, or the heartbreak of rejection. Harry and Ron had both assured her many times over that she would get in, but there was still an ounce of doubt within her. Having missed all of last year's classes was sure to leave a mark. She only hoped that returning to Hogwarts to complete her schooling would stand out. She shoved the letter into her satchel, coming to the conclusion that she couldn't face the day if the worst ended up happening and she found out she was denied a spot. She decided it would be better opened at bedtime.

Making her way down the corridor that was beginning to fill up with students as they finished their breakfast, she headed to her first class.


	2. The Astronomy Tower

A/N: here you guys go! Can't say when the next update will be, we've had 3 people quit at work in the past month, bumping the overtime opportunities up that I just can't resist and half the time I'm flying solo so I don't get time to write at work, and doing 2 people's jobs leaves me bushed at the end of the day. Plus Official NaNo is starting in November which I use for original works, so I've been readying that story like crazy. I will still try to update these stories as often as I can, but until the end of November and until we can hire more people, it'll be slow.

Hermione hadn't noticed him step into the Astronomy Tower, her back was facing him and she had been watching the sky. He silently stepped closer to her as the light of the moon touched him, making his feet connect with the ground. He held his robes to keep them from swishing around and give him away. A gentle smirk played on his lips as he reached her, and he lowered his head next to hers.

"A student out of bed?" He whispered. She shrieked, jumping and clutching at her chest. Severus lifted an amused eyebrow. "What ever shall I do?"

Regaining herself, Hermione furrowed her eyebrows and placed a hand against his cheek.

"You will close your eyes." She said, smiling and as he did, Hermione stood on tip toe and pressed her lips to his. He grinned against it, wrapping an arm around her to pull her in tighter. The greeting lasted for only a few seconds before the kiss had ended and they remained standing there, hugging.

"Missed you in class." Severus said. It was an odd feeling to not have her and her good-for-nothing-insufferable attitude interrupting. Before, he would have given anything to get rid of her, but now he felt out of place when her hand didn't shoot straight up into the air-or even her unwelcome answers she blurted out when he'd ask a question never came.

"I thought it would be best to transfer." Hermione said. She sounded almost regretful, and she raised her head to look at him. "My morals wouldn't allow me to carry on with you as my professor. Especially if another round of rumors were to start, I couldn't live with myself if our closeness had anything to do with your grading choices."

"I would have no problem giving you the marks you deserve regardless of my feelings-" Severus began, but Hermione wouldn't have it, pressing a finger against his lips. He shot her a warning look.

"More importantly, are you comfortable enough brewing around Professor Adner? I was under the impression you didn't want others finding out about your potion."

"I'm not working on Color Mortis in her class." Hermione sighed, she played with the collar of his robe, straightening it down. Severus' eyes grew wide.

"You're not planning to exhausting yourself again, are you?" He sounded worried, but Hermione shook her head.

"I took an off block." She said before raising her eyes to look at him, smiling wryly at his disbelief. "I opted out of History of Magic seeing as I'm pretty well self taught on the subject, and Headmistress McGonagal gave her permission, and figured I'd use that time to work on Color Mortis. There's no potions class that coincides with that time, you see, and-"

"-you little rebel." Severus smirked at her. "If I wasn't dead all ready, hearing that you dropped a class may have killed me."

"I know. Strange, huh?"

"Which reminds me." Severus recalled Hermione's strange exit from the great hall earlier and grew curious. "Your exit from breakfast this morning was peculiarly strange." An eyebrow raised and Hermione quickly drew the rolled up parchment from within her robes. It was a bit flattened now, having been shoved in her book bag, then pressed against them in her robes. Hermione held it between her hands, delicately as if it would break.

"I sent away an application to the Witches Academy of England months ago." She explained. "They've sent me a reply, but I haven't the nerve to open it yet."

Severus was impressed. The Academy was known to be a prestigious school for continuing education and wouldn't have put it past her to apply. He found it amusing that she had been torn to open it, and planted a kiss to her forehead before taking a step back.

"Why not?" He asked. Hermione shrugged awkwardly, weighing the parchment between her hands, then clasped her fingers around it.

"What if I don't get in?" She asked. "What if not attending Hogwarts all last year blew my chance to attend?" She shook her head, and if Severus stared at her long enough, saw that she had begun shaking altogether. She held the letter out to him suddenly. "Would you open it for me? I'd feel better hearing whatever this has to say coming from you."

"I really don't think you have anything to worry about." He said, but Hermione only groaned. Severus stared at the letter for a moment before he took it. His thumb worked under the wax seal, popping it open, then unrolled it with both hands. His eyes scanned the words written in handwritten that seemed to mimic, perfectly, the typeface he saw on Muggle mail. The longer he studied it, the more Hermione bounced on her feet and just as she began to lightly whine, he cleared his throat and began to read.

"Dear Miss Hermione Granger. We have received your letter of interest and documents of education. The Witches Academy of England prides itself for accepting only the best witches that will prove to be an asset, not only to the academy, but to the Wizarding world. Your information has been passed through our admissions department and it is with great pleasure, and with deepest honor, to be the first to welcome you to our family. An owl will be delivered within the next thirty days with further forms and-". Severus couldn't finish. Hermione had let out a squeal and jumped once in excitement. She tore the letter out of his hand to read it herself. She was shaking more visibly now, the parchment dancing in her hands as she laughed.

"I made it!" She exclaimed. Severus leaned against the railing, still facing her and smiled as he watched her realization take over.

"I can't believe it! I was certain that they'd turn me down!"

"Congratulations." Severus said. Hermione released one hand from the paper, but immediately latched onto him again. Severus fought for balance as Hermione nearly jumped into his arms, letting out a sound somewhere between a growl and a scream.

He found himself quite partial to the feeling he got every time their lips touched. She tasted sweet, and minty, and it lingered long after they'd part. A tender reminder for him that this wasn't all a dream, that he had found someone, unbelievably in Granger, that captivated him. As confusing as it was for him, it made sense whenever she'd nuzzle his nose against his, or seek his tongue with hers. It was a feeling he had longed for and it made him feel alive again. Those precious moments of moonlight had become his most cherished, and minty toothpaste became his favorite flavor. It didn't last long, however. He was sure the kiss had only just begun before he felt Hermione fade from existence, that is, until he opened his eyes and saw her just as she caught her balance. He quickly looked to the moon, seeing it had ducked behind a layer of thick and stormy looking clouds. A frigid gust of wind had Hermione shivering in no time, though she didn't complain. They only stared at each other with a sort of sadness before Hermione lifted the corners of her mouth.

"Just as well. Wouldn't want Mrs. Norris finding us." She said. Severus made to reach out for her, but stopped himself before remembering he could no longer touch her.

"You don't have to worry. I'm still a professor, remember, and can thwart Argus's displeasure with a simple look."

"That may be, but it is getting late." Hermione kissed the air between them, smiled, then quietly retreated into the castle.


	3. Harry's Visit

As if the crowded corridor and bustling swarm of students wasn't enough to set Severus on the war path so early in the morning, the blinding light of the day burned at his eyes causing him to squint permanently, his lips drawing into a soured pucker as he fought to see. It was brighter than he had ever seen before and never cared to see it again for all he was certain and he was surprised that even being in his death, he was still able to feel this amount of discomfort. He began to wonder if it was a side effect of the potion, if the mice had only slept so much to escape the glare that found him in even the murkiest of places, and knew Hermione would have to be made aware. The light cast a fuzzy haze over the entire group of bodies that struggled to get through each other, and their disregard toward him being there did not help the situation any. It wasn't as if he could push them away to create his own little bubble of space, and he found himself floating higher only to get away from them. Against his own wishes, he did feel an ounce of relief hovering inches above their heads. His headache may still be there, but at least the pressure and odd feeling of being pushed through was no longer a concern.

"Severus? Oh, Severus!" Minerva had spotted him quickly as he appeared up the wall and called him over. Severus rolled his eyes as little as possible, but remained in the air as he ventured over to her.

"You have a visitor." She told him, almost yelling to be heard above the dull roar of the students. "You'll find him in the Great Hall with Granger." She offered a small, but comforting smile. "And I do hope you'll be cordial, let bygones be bygones." She added before ushering the young witches and wizards around her off to their respectable places. Intrigued, Severus was glad to leave the corridor duty to the Headmistress and the pestering glow of the hallways behind.

It wasn't much of a difference in the Great Hall, the light was still bothersome, only slightly less, and being less crowded allowed him to resume acting like a normal being; trading his hovering for a more natural glide along the ground. He spotted Hermione easily sitting in her usual spot at the Gryffindor table and she was grinning widely. He took a moment to just watch that smile, fighting back one of his own. Now was not the time to show any kind of emotion, especially in the presence of others. And, especially in the presence of who had been seated beside her wearing Muggle clothes that did not match in with the rest of the robes and uniforms. Keep it cordial, Minerva had said, and now he understood why. The male seated next to Hermione still had boyish-features under his messy black hair, and for Merlin's sake, the same pair of glasses Severus had seen him wear throughout his seven years at Hogwarts. Stiffening, he announced himself with a slight clearing of his throat.

"Potter." He greeted, feeling it was as cordial as he could keep. He didn't miss the slight lip-biting, bashful smirk that Hermione had flashed and flicked his eyes to her, raising an eyebrow questioningly. She batted hers in return, the small gesture going unnoticed by those around them.

"Professor." Harry greeted, just as cordially, though he was obviously trying not to gawk at Severus' appearance. It wouldn't have bothered him any less if Harry had made it obvious, having spent the last few months being gawked at by everyone in the school, but grew more conscience of himself in the few silent moments that passed. He turned back to Hermione when the feeling became too much to bear.

"A word, Miss Granger?" Severus asked, leading the way promptly out of the Great Hall. The corner he had chosen was not private, students still mulling around enjoying the last few minutes of freedom before they'd slave away over text books and parchment, but if they spoke low enough, being noticed wouldn't be a problem. The glare of the light filtering in the corridor windows had caused him to squint again, and before he could explain the sudden sensitivity to Hermione, she took his narrowed eyes as some kind of moody expression to Harry's arrival.

"Surprised?" Hermione asked as they came to a stop. "I'm just as surprised as you are, he said he'd come to visit, but I didn't expect him to come so soon." She caught the glimmer of annoyance from Severus and raised her hands protectively in front of her. "He'll only be here for a day, it's as much time as the Ministry would allow him to get away and don't worry, he'll be in my company. You won't have to even see him if you don't want to-"

"-He could run amok and I'd turn a blind eye." Severus assured her.

"Really? Because if you'd rather not see him, I can break it to him lightly."

"He's fine to lurk around wherever he pleases." Severus raised a hand before Hermione could continue. "My demise for the boy is in the past, our qualms are null and void."

"You seemed unhappy to see him is all." Hermione crossed her arms lightly. Severus shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not going to jump for joy in his presence, and you'll excuse my lack of enthusiasm, of course." Severus blinked hard, the moment of darkness a welcome relief. "I wished to speak to you concerning a side effect of the potion." He almost didn't open his eyes again, wanting to remain in the darkness behind his eyelids, but forced himself to peek. Hermione was worriedly watching him. "It's as if the brightness is multiplied, I'd go as far as to call it a migraine."

"That's not good." Hermione said, now whispering. "Maybe I can alter a sight potion as a prevention method."

"It's worth a try." Severus agreed.

"Are you going to be okay?" Hermione asked. "I could go with you to the infirmary—" Her voice drowned out and she frowned. "If Pomfrey could even assist a ghost with a migraine."

"I'll adjust." He said. "I've never heard anyone aiding the woes of a ghost."

"You'll go if it gets unbearable?" Hermione asked sounding more like she was giving an order. "Worse comes to worse, we'll just have to make some pain tonic and have you take it tonight."

Severus sighed and found himself wishing that, for once, maybe cloud cover could help him.

...

Hagrid had been exuberant to see Harry. Catching up had willed away a few good hours, and before they knew it, twilight had broken upon them and Hermione had found it hard to keep from yawning. Harry had promised Hagrid another visit in the future, even though Hermione had assured them both she wasn't tired and would gladly extend their visiting if Harry wanted to stay. Harry wouldn't hear of it. They were halfway up the hill to the castle when Hermione stifled yet another yawn.

"You haven't been taking on double classes again have you?" He asked. Hermione laughed lightly and shook her head.

"No, though I considered it." She twisted her neck in a stretch. "I have my hands full creating a potion." She said too quickly to catch herself. Originally she hadn't planned to tell anyone about continuing Color Mortis until it was finished, or at least well underway. Harry stopped her from walking.

"The potion you mentioned from your letters?" Harry asked. "Last I knew you had tested on mice, how is that working out?"

Hermione took a moment to smile.

"It works under moonlight." She announced. "Severus is able to feel, but only just. I've decided to go ahead and try to improve the potion so he can live again."

"Hermione." Harry said in a tone of warning. "It's great that you achieved that much, but playing around with bringing things back to life isn't-"

"-you've been spending time around Molly, haven't you?" Hermione teased. Harry wrinkled his nose at her in jest.

"You of all people don't need to be reminded of the Deathly Hallows now, do you? The moral of the story? Obtaining power over bringing back the dead?"

"Ah, but see, I have a purpose. I'm not doing this intentionally for power." Hermione sniffed lightly. She avoided looking at Harry as he stood there watching her carefully.

"A purpose." Harry stated after a while. "Pray tell this purpose of yours."

Hermione yawned again, and this time she exaggerated it, raising her arms above her head and glanced at her watch, feigning shock at the time. She would have gladly told him her purpose if she didn't suspect Harry would hate the reason. Explaining that it was because she had found herself smitten with Severus and had wanted him whole again didn't exactly conjure a welcome outcome, at least not yet.

"It's a long story and it really is getting late." She said, but Harry stubbornly crossed his arms, his foot beginning to tap in the cliche fashion signaling he was waiting for an answer.

"Oh don't make me tell you." Hermione whined, beginning to feel excited and fearful at the same time. She hated keeping secrets, especially from Harry, and in due time she'd have to tell him, but she was unprepared to come out with her romance with their potions professor on such short notice. Harry remained silent and it began to kill Hermione's spirit. She pushed her fingers back into her hair and sighed heavily.

"Jesus, Harry, please? I'll tell you more when I can, right now I just can't." She winced. "It's not that I don't want you to know, in fact it would be a lot easier if people did know...could know about it, I'm really sorry, but not many people are even aware of this potion or the reasons behind it. I'd like to keep it that way for a while."

Harry studied her studiously for a minute longer before his arms unfolded and hung at his sides. Hermione felt like she could breathe again when he looked away, almost like his gaze had cinched her lungs tightly together when she was under it. The next couple of steps were shrouded with a hurt only Harry could muster. The guilt Hermione felt was suffocating and she found herself hating the closeness between them. It took them to the top of the hill, and standing just outside the main entrance felt awkward and bleak.

"Harry." Hermione whispered, not realizing she was beginning to choke up until she heard her voice come out shaky. He simply peered at her from behind his glasses, expectantly.

"I better get going." He said. It carried no sort of sadness, or happiness. It sounded rather monotonous, really, and this is what broke Hermione down. How he was able to get information out of her so easily floored her.

"When I started the potion it was nothing more to help him. I pitied Severus and didn't like seeing him so angry at everything. Sometime during the start of semester and now, Severus and I have become close, even closer when the moon is around, and I cannot stand not being able to feel him when the sun is up and its just aggravating and I just want to-" Her words began to blur together into one long-winded muddle before she observed the smirk on Harry's face. It was one filled with a kind of betrayal only felt when not giving an explanation would have been perfectly acceptable, one that told her Harry had just pulled some kind of tactic on her and she smacked his arm. He laughed, grabbing her wrists before she could hit him for a second time.

"See that? See what I did there? That's what I've been learning. Works like a charm every time." Harry laughed again.

"You're a jerk, you know that?" Hermione fought to hit him again, but he kept a tight control on her hands.

"It's impressive, especially when you're interrogating people. Ron's been able to get a confession out of someone in less than a minute, and I can assure you their confessions are not even half as shocking as yours." He twisted his head around to make sure no one had been listening in. "Are you serious, Hermione? Snape?" He was now staring at her incredulously.

"I told you I didn't want you to know." She twisted her wrists until they were out of his grasp.

"I'll be sure to take you seriously next time." Harry crossed his arms again. Hermione mimed him, only pulling her face into a displeased glare that melted into worry.

"You...you aren't going to tell anyone, are you?"

"Who? Like Ron?"

"Please don't, Harry." Hermione begged. Harry gave his head a quick shake.

"Wouldn't dream of it. He's just now acting like his old self, I'd hate to see how this would change him." He shivered, as if the thought disgusted him. "No, I think it's best that this secret is kept on the down low."

"Thank you." Hermione said. Harry pressed a smile and reached out, drawing her into a tight hug.

"I can't tell you I exactly like the idea. It is Snape after all."

"Severus is very respectable and I'm sure you'd endorse us if you were more familiar with the situation."

Harry still made a face, but kissed her cheek and took a few steps away.

"Owl me?" He asked. Hermione nodded and waved, watching him walk down the path that led to the apparation spot near the front gate, not turning to go in until Harry had gone.

...

A/N: I actually got time to sit at the computer and write for a bit! You can thank the people I'm waiting on for that ;) I hope the first part makes sense...I had people talking to me and a constant police scanner going on in the background making it hard to concentrate...eep! Let me know if it is all jumbled up and I'll fix it.


	4. Moon Frogs and Hippogriffs

The Moon Frog had changed in color from its opulent, shimmery white into a dull and pathetic looking grey. She could hear it breathing, and every once in a while, a croak would be heard, sounding strained and tired. It didn't move.

"Expect it's sick." Hagrid said as he joined Hermione to peer over the cage edge. He clicked his tongue and with his large hands, scooped it up gently. He had made a separate cage with only the bare necessities for it and placed it gingerly inside. "Not quite sure how to care for an ill Moon Frog, not much diffren' than a real one I suppose."

"Do you think the others will catch it?" Hermione asked. She reached into the cage that held the others and stroked the back of one that only blinked in reply.

"No idea." Hagrid brushed his hands together lightly, the excess dust falling softly to the ground. "No use worryin' righ' now. We'll jus' watch 'im an' see if he improves." Hagrid heaved a sigh, then left without another word, though Hermione could clearly see the worry on his face. She smiled at this, amused at how much he cared for his animals and knew that if he didn't have other chores to attend to he would have seen fit to stand guard all night, coddling the frog just as a mother would to her sick child.

Hermione placed the lid, making sure it fit snugly before grabbing her robe. Concerned for the frog, it wasn't as great as the thought that had been filling her head since Harry's departure. The mention of The Deathly Hallows, whether Harry had meant to hint at it or not, had been her bedtime read. She knew Harry had been in possession of the resurrection stone, and in a recount of how he had used it, had mentioned he dropped it in the forest. The idea was crazy, and absurd, carrying with it an obsession that could turn dangerous, yet the more Hermione dwelled on it, the more sense it made; she only needed to find it and the possibility of it helping to bring Severus back to life would be there. She'd need to make her own changes, of course, to keep the stone from filling Severus' new life with just a shroud of living. She wanted him to be happy.

Hermione ventured to the edge of the forest, taking a path that had long been worn into the ground, and had pulled her robe tighter around her as the surrounding trees dropped the already chilly temperature. The sun had still been up, and provided enough light over the frost bitten ground for her to navigate her way deeper into the wood. The air around her was still and quiet, and as she walked, couldn't help but take in the actual beauty of the forest, slowly forgetting that it held dangers enough to make it forbidden, the beauty of the place acting as a lure to draw in the unsuspecting.

Hogwarts was no longer visible by the time Hermione had come across the part of the forest she knew she needed to be, recognizing the spot in the daylight hours as a spot she had collected animal spirits and not realizing how close she had been to the Acromantula's nesting area. It was barren now, only soiled bits of webbing still visible that hung stiffly from the branches had given it away. Immediately she looked to the ground, finding she was standing in a clawed footprint. Spaces around the print had been gouged out, leaving small holes here and there, and scratch marks where the talons had scraped the ground. They appeared fresh, and when Hermione filtered through the dirt with her fingers, could move it around, the cold air having not time enough yet to freeze the ground. Concentrating hard, she followed the prints, walking slowly and slightly hunched over, toeing a few holes and scrutinizing some stones that protruded from the ground. Harry hadn't said exactly where he dropped the stone, and she wished she would have questioned him further.

Hermione came upon a lump of twigs and dead leaves that sat nestled at the base of a thick tree. It appeared to be made, not from nature, but like someone or something had deliberately piled the dirt and twigs together to form a mound. Carefully, she moved apart some of the earth and uncovered a smooth surface, tan in color with brown specks.

An egg!

Hermione recognized the shell at once, drawing her finger across the flawless surface. It felt delicate, like a piece of thin glass under her finger and she admired it gently, not noticing that she wasn't alone.

Twigs snapped behind her and she turned her head just in time to see a large eagle head rise, getting ready to swing down on her. With no time to scream, Hermione pushed backwards quickly, scampering on all fours just as a large talon swiped the air in front of her, the breeze it made passing over her face. Her breath hitched as she made eye contact with the creature, seeing the Hippogriff fully for the first time. It's orange eyes burned into her and she stumbled to her feet, fighting to stand as adrenaline rushed over her. For a moment, she forgot to bow, then quickly lowered her torso, then her head slightly, unable to keep herself from shaking.

The Hippogriff snapped its steely beak, narrowed its eyes and for a second seemed to consider bowing in return before it lifted itself up onto its brawny hind legs, it's taloned forelegs rising up before her, then came down with force, a claw catching her robe. The fabric did not give, and Hermione was thrown to the ground, the force of the landing being enough to push a scream from her.

Managing to free an arm, Hermione rolled to her side, covering her face as the Hippogriff reared again and came down, it's talons landing on either side of her head, its beak skimming across her arms. The long sleeves of her shirt were torn and she could feel her skin had been broken, but she had no time to look at her injuries. She curled into herself and tucked her feet under her, the Hippogriff pushed with its head, and she fell back to the ground.

She tried again, managed to roll onto her feet, and was swatted back down, the pain of its claw digging into her back had not been suspected and she almost gave in to it, but urged herself to her feet once more, tripping as she found traction, and ran a few paces before the Hippogriff had launched behind her, covering the few feet she had put between them with ease and pinned her to the ground, knocking the breath out of her. She allowed the world to grow dark around her, not caring to feel herself dying at the hands of a Hippogriff.


	5. The Bright Lights

"You say the light bothers you?" Madame Pomfrey had squinted when Severus arrived complaining of sensitivity to brightness and by the look on her face had no idea how to proceed. Normally she would have ordered bed rest and put up a darkened space for a living person, but having never had to issue medical procedures on a ghost before, could only 'hmm' and 'haw' at the situation. "Then...stay out of the light?" She offered lightly. Severus scoffed.

"You would wish me to remain in the dungeons?" Severus asked sounding beside himself. Pomfrey shook her head quickly and cleared her throat consecutively as she thought of a better way to phrase her answer.

"I'm...only...suggesting..." She sputtered, then fell silent. Severus glowered at the woman and Pomfrey adverts her eyes, glancing at a first year who had come down with a bad case of Dragon Pox.

"I can't escape it." He pressed. "It bothers me down there too."

"I just don't know how to go about this, Severus." She spoke softly. "It was a miracle we could bring Nearly Headless Nick out of his petrified state after the Chamber of Secrets was opened, and that was only after having those months while the Mandrake was maturing to plan, there isn't a simple wave of the wand or brewing of a potion that would help a ghost with this kind of thing."

Severus sat back in the seat he was hovering in and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. Pomfrey chanced a look back to him.

"Have you tried sun glasses?" She asked, half amused. Severus dropped his hand slowly and looked incredulously at her.

"I will not suffer that torture." He stated dryly. He sighed as he stood, ignoring Pomfrey who remained seated on the edge of a bed now gently smirking at the idea, an floated out of the room.

The light had not increased, still remaining the same dull ache as it was the day before, only increasing in annoyance. Though sun glasses were a good suggestion, he'd rather rip his eyes out than deal with the struggle. He had never liked sun glasses and would rather leave them as a last resort.

Snarling as a student brushed by him, he dodged down another hallway, an idea hitting him though it was far fetched. He'd make his way to the Divination classroom for a chat with Trelawney. She was supposed to have insight with this stuff, was she not? Even though he thought of her as batty and fraudulent in the business, perhaps there was some kind of advice that she could give, even a certain recipe for tea that he could sip by the moonlight that would help. He had tried the headache potion Hermione had kindly made for him, without any improvement. Times were getting desperate.

Trelawney had been sitting at a small, round table when he entered, and grinned manically as he floated toward her. She jumped up immediately, pulling a second chair out for him and beckoned him into it.

"Severus! Do sit my dear, sit." She took her seat, smoothing out the fabric of her robes, adjusting the glasses on her nose. "I knew I was going to have a visitor today." She said. "I hoped I didn't miss them when I had to fetch my supplies to polish my gazing ball." She placed her fingers delicately on the glass ball that sat between them.

"No, no, you didn't miss me." Severus said. "I was actually hoping to ask you for your expertise." He almost choked on his words, but Trelawney didn't seem to notice. She only grinned wider, tucked her chair closer to her ball and leaned over the table to hear him better.

"I'm experiencing a light sensitivity. Poppy isn't sure how to remedy it, I was hoping you'd have a suggestion...a tea of some sort? A gaze into your ball?"

"Light sensitivity...yes..." She sniffed in hard, pushed her glasses back up her nose and closed her eyes. "Let's see, a nice licorice tea would help with any sickness this sensitivity is causing, lemon, ginger...Skullcap perhaps?" Trelawney stood abruptly and all but ran to the cabinets she kept her tea leaves in, pulling out box after box of different herbs. Severus watched her select a box and brought it back to the table. Whether she had started out of habit, or if she had failed to realize his disposition, she called over a tea pot and began to make a pot of tea. Severus didn't say a word. Trelawney poured a cup and passed it over to him.

"Thank you." He muttered, unamused. Trelawney sat back, proud of herself.

"Have you ever heard of a ghost experiencing this symptom?" He asked, eyeing the cup in front of him and wanting nothing more than the ability to reach out and take it. He clasped his hands, removing the temptation.

"Not necessarily. No." Trelawney answered, then paused with a squeak. "Though there is the superstition of seeing the bright light when crossing over." She flashed her fingers on either side of her head. "Go towards the bright light." She said in a song-song voice, then gave a slight chuckle. Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Tell me about this bright light." He asked. She snorted a laugh and let her hands wave as she spoke.

"Muggle beliefs that I can't deny hold truth. It's the light that gathers the soul when all their earthly objectives have been completed." She bit her lip, her fingers coming to rest on the gazing ball again and she looked into it dreamily. "When ghosts feel they no longer have any business left on earth, the bright light is provided to them to take them away to their next life or existence, whatever you may have."

"I see." Severus said. "And this is all here say?"

"I couldn't say, exactly." She paused. "I'm neither dead, nor have experienced a near death situation to tell you honestly, but my mother has told a story of helping out her great aunt Milly...twice removed of course...Milly returned in a vision telling her of this light." She gasped just then. "Do you suppose you're experiencing the same?"

Severus wasn't sure of how to answer. If nothing else worked, it was the only explanation plausible. He hadn't been a ghost for long and didn't remember having experienced a bright light upon his initial killing, then again he had been returned to the world of the living. In that case, and if what he was going through had been the bright light, he'd need a reason as to why it was happening. He stood, giving a polite nod to Trelawney.

"Thank you, Sybil." He said and left the room ignoring her pointing out he hadn't touched his tea.


	6. Denying the Moonlight

A/N: To celebrate reaching 25K words in Nanowrimo, here's another chapter for you guys! Enjoy! Halfway to 50k!

...

So this is what death feels like. Hermione thought to herself. It's awfully dark. She squirmed as the darkness pressed in on her, moaning slightly in mental anguish. It is warm, though. Comfortable.

There was a sound of metal scraping lightly against metal and she realized her eyes were closed. She opened them, a light blue veil had been the only thing she could concentrate on, then as her eyes focused, she recognized the face of Madam Pomfrey who had been standing in front of privacy curtains that had been pulled around her bed. The Medi-Witch had pressed her hand to Hermione's face softly and shushed her, forcing a cup of liquid to her mouth that Hermione recognized as water. She drank thirstily.

"There, there." Pomfrey cooed, fluffing the blankets around Hermione and patted her hair back. "You've been out for a day, I'm surprised you've come to so soon." She clicked her tongue. "Lucky thing you're alive."

Hermione started at this, but Pomfrey pressed her back gently into the bed. As if she had caught on to Hermione's racing thoughts, Ponfrey began to explain.

"Rubeus had been out chopping down a Weeding Tree when he saw you get attacked by a Hippogriff." Pomfrey pouted. "You've a few nasty cuts, but they're healing nicely. If it wasn't for Rubeus hearing you scream, I'm afraid you'd have met your fate."

Hermione could see Pomfrey had more to say of the situation, but was holding back.

"Are you in pain, dear?" She asked as gently as she could. Hermione surveyed her body, wiggling her toes, her legs, then the rest before shaking her head. She could feel where the bandages were sticking to her back, but it didn't seem to be bothersome. Raising her arms, she saw that they, too, had been lightly bandaged, though experience no pain upon moving them. Pomfrey gave a content nod and another tsk, mumbling angrily about the forest before leaving and pulling the curtain. Hermione stared at the ceiling seeing as there wasn't much else to do for the time being. Her thoughts raced back to the forest, seeing a replay in her mind of the Hippogriff snapping at her with its large beak, it's eagle claws grasping for her. The thought alone made her heart race, and she closed her eyes.

When she opened them again the sun had lowered far enough to cast an evening gold glimmer on the ceiling. Sitting up, she felt the bandages had been removed from her back and immediately felt her arms, also free from gauze. There weren't any marks left, the skin appearing as fresh as the last time she had seen them and if it wasn't for being in the infirmary, would have thought it all one horrible dream.

"I thought I heard you move." Draco pushed past the privacy curtain, tugging it closed behind his back and stood there. "Feeling better?" He asked.

Hermione shrugged, she hadn't exactly felt bad so feeling better wasn't exactly how she'd describe what she felt.

"I feel." She stated simply. She was alive, and that was all that mattered. Draco nodded and seated himself near her feet.

"Hagrid said-". He began, but Hermione cut him off.

"-He did." She didn't want to be reminds of her mistake more than she had to. "It was stupid of me, I know. I shouldn't have gone in there alone."

Draco bit his lip and simply watched her. Hermione picked at a piece of fuzz stuck to her blanket before drawing her knees to her chest and circled her arms around them.

"What did you go in for?" He asked. Hermione considered him, wondering if she should tell him. Though she trusted him, it was to a point. He was a Slytherin after all, the son of a Dark Wizard. If she told him about the Resurrection Stone she'd be worried he'd want it for other things.

"I was searching for something that would help with the potion." She said. It was short and straight to the point.

"I don't think there's much in that forest that could help." Draco said lightly. "We haven't exactly had good luck going through there, I mean."

"Oh it's in there." She said. "I think I almost had it too if it wasn't for the Hippogriff."

"I'm sure you would have found it." Draco agreed, though he didn't sound as supportive as she'd have liked. He stared at her. She sighed heavily. She didn't want to tell him, but at the same time she did need help with finding the stone. She couldn't do it all herself.

"The resurrection stone." She whispered, defeated. "Harry mentioned dropping it in there when he faced Voldemort. I was thinking it could help further Color Mortis and bring Severus back to life."

Draco's eyes grew large, almost popping out of his head.

"You're serious, aren't you?" He sputtered for a moment. "You know that stone is dangerous, what if it worked and Snape was cursed with unhappiness?"

"I believe the stone takes the intentions of those associating with it into account. Neither Severus or my intentions would be evil bound, or meant to obtain power, or harm."

"It's still dangerous magic." Draco said.

"Indeed." Severus' voice joined them, neither Hermione or Draco had seen him enter as he moved through the curtain. He looked at Draco so intensely, he stood quickly, exchanging silent, worried glances with Hermione before silently bowing out, then Severus turned his attention to Hermione. He wasn't pleased, and Hermione only returned his darkened state with one of stubbornness.

"Do not risk your life for my own." He said.

"I'll risk my life for whomever I see fit." Hermione said. Severus sighed and hovered over the side of her bed in the spot Draco had just left. He placed a caring hand on her leg, though he still didn't appear pleased.

"I can't stop you, but I can try to persuade you to exercise caution." He raised an eyebrow. "It is dangerous magic, Miss Granger. Not something a witch of your caliber should be playing with."

"I'm shocked." Hermione said, her jaw falling open slightly. "Here I thought you wanted this too, am I wasting my time?"

Severus grumbled something incoherent and ran a hand over his face.

"I do want it, but only if I can ensure your safety."

"I didn't get into that spot on purpose." She said. "I wasn't expecting to come upon a nest."

"I'm not saying it was on purpose." Severus breathed heavily a few times. "I'm just not thrilled with the idea of you nearly getting killed." He jabbed an opaque finger at her a few times. "Trust me, you wouldn't like this way of living."

"I probably wouldn't." Hermione agreed, swatting at the hand even though she knew it was useless. The chill of his finger going through her skin having a calming effect now that she associated that feeling with him. "But at least we wouldn't have to wait for the moonlight to come around."

At this, Severus' eyes flicked over to the window. The sun had gone down, the golden glow had disappeared and the beginning of a night sky was left in its wake. The moon couldn't have been far behind and he planned on it showing up sometime soon.

"Severus?" Hermione asked after a while. He brought his eyes away from the window and trained them back on her.

"Yes?"

She had pressed her lips together, looking almost like she had decided to retract her unspoken question and instead played once more with the fuzz on her blanket.

"Do you-" She made a grumbling noise, trying to piece her thoughts together and ended up falling silent. Severus lifted his forehead into his hairline as he waited.

"Do you care about me?" She asked finally, looking up timidly through her eyelashes. Severus' forehead relaxed, only to pinch together between his eyes.

"Of course." He said. "Do you not think I do?"

"Well yes, I mean, of course I thi-I know you do. I mean care, though. Do you care about me?"

"You mean love." Severus shifted a bit uncomfortably and Hermione looked away, her cheeks growing red. He didn't answer right away, hoping that it didn't give the wrong impression. He cared for her, very much, and every time he saw her found she had him caring more and more. Love? Did he love her though? The question was heavy and only made him uncomfortable as he had only loved one other in his life. The feeling was similar, but he wasn't sure if it could be considered love. It felt like it, but after Lily had died and all the years he had put his life on the line for Harry, he had promised himself to never allow himself to experience those feeling again, and even shied away from those who expressed those feeling towards him.

"I mean love." Hermione said, confirming his thoughts.

Severus paled and as she watched him for an answer began to shake his head slowly, back and fourth, left to right. He didn't mean for it to be taken as an answer, he was only just beginning to understand what her question meant.

He had found his unfinished business: caring. Loving, both in giving and receiving. Being wanted and wanting in return.

The lights, the bright light that haunted him and that had grown stronger every day had only shown up after he had accepted her love and had begun to feel it, himself. They seemed to glow brighter at his unspoken feelings as he sat there staring at her.

Now that he had it, his soul could rest and could be at peace instead of feeling empty, instead of feeling the suffering. Now that he had it, had been given the chance to experience it, knowing that the light would consume him and remove him from this existence shook him. It hurt, if that was the right word, a feeling he would rather not feel at all. He had felt heartbreak and if Hermione was falling in love with him too, did not want her to experience anything like it.

The moon had finally reached the window. The first rays of the moonlight fell through the window, reaching his hand that had still been resting upon her leg. She grabbed it the moment it turned solid, but he pulled away, recoiling back into the shadow.

"I need to leave." He said dryly, shakily, and before he could see her react, drifted out of the curtains, trading the moonlight that night for the safety of the dungeons.


	7. For The Best

Avoiding Hermione had been what it all came down to. Staying away from her seemed, at the time, the only solution Severus could think of to keep the light from devouring him and the only way to lose the trust and feelings he had built with the girl.

It still hurt.

It hurt like hell.

For once in the past school year he was glad that Hermione had switched classes; it was one less thing he had to worry about. His misery had put him in such a state that he found it easy to return to his old self while teaching and had successfully taken 50 House Points from Hufflepuff. Those points should have been taken from Gryffindor, as Seamus had successfully turned his potion to dust before adding the third ingredient, yet he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not wanting to take points from his own house, he took the points from Hufflepuff, the previous owner of the book having been from Hufflepuff as given by the cartoon badger drawn on the cover, and had left Severus feeling no guilt by punishing by association.

After the class had ended, he had planned to harbor himself away in his room where he'd find himself bored and more than likely watching a fire roar in the fireplace until he'd fall asleep, but had not been quick enough to float through the few walls that separated him from his rooms.

Hermione had burst through the door ordering him to stop, the thought had been fleeting that he could have easily gone in any direction to leave her alone, yet he remained. For some damned reason he couldn't leave.

"We need to talk." She said. His eyes slid closed. His shadow of a heart beat pounded in his throat. He wanted to talk so much, but at the very same time, wanted nothing to do with this, but his spirit stayed put against his will.

"What is going on?" She sounded angry. She had the right to sound angry. After all, Severus had left her in the infirmary without an explanation of why he had left so suddenly, of why he had pulled away from her touch...of why he had hid from her in the few days that passed.

"I want an answer...no. I demand an answer, Severus! What the hell is going on here?"

He spun around, angry at the situation, willing his anger to press through the feelings of cowardice that flowed around him just as his robes did in the sudden movement. He narrowed his eyes to hide the admiration, the want to apologize and beg her forgiveness.

"Is there a problem I don't know about?" She breathed. "Because if there is, I'd really like to know."

She was spitting fire. He wanted nothing more than her acceptance and understanding, but he refused himself to quiver. He could have easily explained it all to her, but that would have only pushed her to work harder to obtain a resolve and maybe even put her more in dangers way. He couldn't live with himself if she got hurt again on his behalf, and knew from experience the pain of getting over someone dying was easier than the pain of a broken heart. No, he had to become the bastard he knew he could be. He drew himself up to stand as tall as he could, with shoulders so strong it physically hurt and gave his best glower.

"I'm afraid our games have gone too far." He heard himself say it, but the words felt scorched as they left his mouth. His tongue felt raw in his mouth.

"Games?" Hermione asked. "Games?" She gave one, short, mechanical laugh. "Wow. Games. Really?"

"I appreciate all you've done, but I cannot allow these-" He stumbled for words. Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes rolled heavily in her skull and she picked out the word for him.

"-these games, yes, go on-"

His eyes narrowed even more and his voice went dangerously low, not because of her sarcasm, but because he hated himself just then for picking that word.

"-to soil our beliefs any further." He felt a surge of adrenaline, and mixed with the look she had just given him, was determined to make her hate him as much as he hated himself just then.

"Is it because I brought up love?" She asked.

"It's because you're a know-it-all who can't define the difference between what is real and what isn't. Can't even get a moments peace around here without your insufferable brilliant ideas getting in the way." That last word was lighter, Hermione had broken down into tears and try as he might, Severus couldn't help but let down his defenses slightly at the sight of her, falling into a chair and sobbing into her hands. Allowing himself only that second of emotion, he quickly built his wall up again and reminded him that what he was doing was the best for both of them. It was emphasized by the pesky, hazy light he had been battling growing ever more brilliant as if her tears had fed into it.

"I d-don't under-understand." She said, hiccuping, using the sleeve of her robe to wipe at her eyes. In that short amount of time they had turned beet-red, the tip of her nose shined in almost the same color. Severus wanted nothing more than to take it all back.

"You never once said a-anything about f-f-feeling that wa-way."

He didn't say anything, opting to keep silent.

"Don't you w-want my h-help anymore?" She was pleading with him through her eyes. They looked desperate and he knew they saw through the lie he was trying to feed her, but still he didn't budge. He turned away, finding it easier to lie to her when he wasn't looking at her.

"No." He said. He could hear her sniffling.

"So that's it, then." Sniffle. "You want me to stop and forget this h-happened?" She was out of her chair, standing in front of him now. He diverted his eyes away from her knowing fully well that one more sight of her would instantly diminish all of his effort to push her away.

"I thought we were fine, we were improving, you were happy-we were happy, weren't we?" Tears were still flowing down her cheeks, but she was managing to speak calmly again. He'd never understand how females could go between those levels of intensity so quickly.

"You thought wrong." Severus whispered, clenching his jaw.

"I guess I did." She wiped at her cheeks again. Severus attempted to push past her, but she jumped in front of him.

"Tell me to stop and I'll stop." She said. "I need to hear you say it. Tell me you don't care for me, tell me you don't love me, I can live with that, I'll believe you, but please don't tell me this was all fun and games. We both know that's a lie." She had to jump in front of him again as he attempted to move.

He looked down at her and regretted it. He faltered and found himself speechless when they connected. He couldn't hide or deny the fact that the look he had given her was one of pain.

"Stop." He whispered, unable to make his voice any louder for fear of it cracking. It was all he could do. He hurriedly flew past her, not giving her a chance to stop him from moving, and darted upward through the ceiling knowing she couldn't get in the way and would be able to lose her if she dared try to find him.

...

For probably the first time in her life, Hogwarts was not a place she wanted to be at that moment and even probably regretted the choice to return. No matter what she did, he was there in the back of her mind, unable to escape him even in sleep. The restless night added to her already sour attitude when the Gryffindor tower had awoken, her friends learned quickly to give her a wide berth.

Morning classes drug on. She didn't seem able to pay sharp attention like she usually did, and her notes had left much to explain. In Runes, the symbols upon the stones seemed to spell out his name, making it hard to concentrate. In Transfiguration, she didn't have a whole heart to make two rats from one, always ending up with some kind of mutation that would have looked better coming from Neville's wand than her own.

Lunch was short, she had taken the initiative to leave the moment she saw Severus glide into his seat at the front table and spent it walking aimlessly around the hallways until her afternoon classes had started, of which, she couldn't recall a thing learned. Try as she might, any words spoken had fell upon deaf ears. When her potions class had come, she headed to the library, not feeling able to be in that classroom without facing another breakdown. There she remained, not joining the others who had pointed out dinner was being served. The thought of food alone was enough to churn her stomach. Even the words from the books she was reading had made her head spin. She wasn't alone for long, however.

"'Mione?" Draco gently announced his arrival, taking a cautious seat next to her and even shied away as she looked up to him, darkly.

"What?" She answered. Draco winced.

"You've got people worried." He said. "Patil cornered me, asked me to check in on you seeing as they couldn't speak without you snapping at them earlier."

"Maybe I just want to be alone?" Hermione asked rudely. Draco furrowed his brow.

"You've been alone all day." He said. Hermione narrowed her eyes and brought them slowly back down to the book she had been staring at for the past couple of hours.

"I understand if you don't want to talk about what's bothering you, but I am hear to listen if you need me to." He said. "And, I wanted to show you this." He dug in his pocket, pulling a fist out of it and extended it to Hermione. She stared at it, then placed her hand below his fist. When he opened it, a small, black stone dropped into her hand.

"I believe I found your stone." He said. Hermione looked from the stone, to Draco, then back to the stone. It was heavy for its size, eight sided, and she could clearly make out the symbol of the three Hollows engraved into it.

"Where did you find this?" She asked. Draco shrugged.

"Last year when we were capturing the spirits? I was digging to pass the time and thought it looked like a neat stone so I pocketed it. Didn't know what it was, forgot about it actually until you mentioned it." Draco snorted. "To think I've been carrying it around all this time and did t know it."

Hermione took the stone from her palm with the fingers of the other hand. She felt a surge of excitement, then immediately after remembered that she had wanted the stone for Severus. He had asked her to stop. He had broken her heart. The excitement soon faded away to anger. She let the stone drop into her palm and she brought her hand back, throwing it forward in rage. The stone landed on the other side of the room, crashing into an oil lamp, and broke the shade. Draco stared at her as she quickly stood up and gathered her things, Madame Pince already on the war path to kick them out.

Hermione raced past students who had stopped to watch what was going on, and was quickly bustling down the corridor before Draco had caught up with her, out of breath.

"The hell was that, Hermione?" He asked. Hermione turned to him and before she knew it, had bursted into tears.


	8. Chicken

As much as he hated having the moonlight to remember her by, Severus found a familiar joy in imbibing by it. He had a house elf pull a chair to the perfect position just under a window shortly before the moon had shined through, and had ordered a bottle of brandy to be brought. The moment he had feeling, he uncapped the bottle and drank thirstily. The idea had struck him after the first few nights he had spent hiding away, cursing the moon and steering clear of its path. It didn't hurt, didn't burn him or maul him, but just the thought of his abilities under it had brought him to realize that the possibility was made from caring, from love. From the love of a girl he had come to want, but knowing that accepting it would lead him to his demise. He just couldn't win.

Toasty in front of the fireplace, he accio'd some ice from his freezer and enjoyed the cool liquid as he sipped at it almost constantly. As the alcohol invaded his system, his thoughts became blurred and he only slowed his drinking when he seemed to forget about it altogether. It was short lived.

His door flew open with force, and in the doorway stood Draco, arms folded, looking disappointed, a heated warning melted through his eyes. Severus neither turned to greet him, nor said anything as Draco entered and grabbed the glass from his hand. It was all he could do to stare at the blonde in his drunk state until those grey eyes seemed to burn some guilt back into him.

"What?" Severus growled.

"Don't what me." Draco said. "I've a feeling you know exactly why I'm here and what I'm about to tell you."

"Save your lecture." Severus ordered. He made one grab for his drink, but Draco pulled it back.

"You're making a mistake, throwing this away like rubbish. Granger is the best thing that's happened to you and I'm not going to stand around and let you destroy it."

"It was a mistake allowing me to help her." Severus spat. "Don't act like you know my reasons behind it because I can assure you, Malfoy, you know nothing."

"I know that what you're doing-" he swirled the glass in the air to insinuate his point, "isn't helping either of you right now."

Severus grabbed for the glass again, but Draco kept it away.

"Why is it every chance at happiness you've had ends like this?" Draco sneered.

Severus stared at Draco, his question causing him to pause momentarily, then rolled his eyes and grabbed the brandy bottle next to him, drinking straight from it.

"You have to quit running away from it sometime." Draco said. "Live a little while you can."

"Living only leads to death." Severus mumbled. "Which is why I beg of you to keep your nose out of my business and return my glass."

"No." Draco said.

A silence grew between them. Draco gave up standing and sat down on the small couch in front of the fire place. He watched the flames dance and flicker but he wasn't paying much attention to them, rather his mind wandered to Hermione. He couldn't understand why Severus seemed stubborn in letting her go, couldn't find a reason for it to seem sensible.

"Why?" Draco finally asked. It had been the question Hermione had tearfully confided to him. Why is he doing this? He had been stricken dumb by her outburst and the news that he wasn't sure how to console her. He had hesitated in patting her shoulder while she sobbed that she actually shrugged off his attempt at sympathy, and ran down the hallway claiming she wanted to be alone. Finding an answer for her was all he wanted to do.

"Can you please just give me a straight answer why?"

Severus didn't speak right away and Draco half expected he didn't hear the question. Severus heard it, though, and had stayed silent only to help form words.

"I'm dying." He answered after one long swig from his bottle.

"You're already dead." Draco said through a sigh.

"No, I mean I'm dying." Severus growled. "I had to have a reason to come back, and in the past months I have achieved what I returned for. I'm dying, I'm fading away. The bright light has come to collect me." He lifted the bottle to his lips, but he did not drink. "It's only a matter of time before I will be able to rest in peace." He took a few, slow, counted breaths and then finally tipped the bottle back. Severus rose, standing, and wobbled over to Draco, the bottle falling from his grasp as he left the moonlight and he spread his arms open.

"This...this form will fade. I'll just be a memory, a bittersweet dream. I know the pain Hermione is going to go through and would not wish it upon her to suffer the torture of loss."

Draco listened, then thought for a while. He couldn't imagine the feeling of loss like that. People had died that he loved, but not in a way that could tear a person to shreds, never as deeply as Severus was capable of. He pitied the man, the ghost that turned away from him and moved into the moonlight where he slumped back down in his chair, his elbows on his knees, his head hanging low below his shoulder blades. Lily Potter had ruined him. Hermione Granger had destroyed him. He heard him speak her name, her first name and knew then that it went deeper than caring for her. He personified her in a personal way, and try as he might, this said a mouthful.

Draco grew angry again, hating to see his professor as he was and stood. He went over to him, standing in front of him to block the moonlight, causing Severus' ghost to reappear. Severus looked up.

"She was making a potion to bring you back to life." Draco said, his voice just above a dangerous whisper. "A potion that may just succeed, and if you let her, if you told her about these lights, I know she'll work her bones to dust to see that you remain here with us, alive nonetheless, and not have to worry about her loving in such pain." Draco groaned, his arms flailing to his aides in a 'giving up' motion. "How you don't want to even invest what little time you have left to accomplishing this is beyond me. You really have disappointed me, Severus."

"Do not think that I don't want the potion to work. I'd give my life over ten times if I was certain Miss Granger could successfully create a life for me."

"You sure have an odd way of showing it." Draco narrowed his eyes at Severus and stepped away. He needed to leave, but just before he reached the door, turned around seeing that Severus had been watching him from his chair.

"You may be remembered as a hero for giving your life to save a boy you hated for the love you felt for his mother, but it's made you a chicken. You're showing weakness which is something I never expected you to show." Shaking his head, and before Severus could start in on him, he left, shaking in his own fury.

Severus sat there, hit by Draco's words, knocking him back into the chair. He stared at the moon and watched as it lowered itself behind the window pane.


	9. The Trouble With Moon Frogs Pt 2

"If you're here to talk about Professor Snape, I'll punch you in your face again." Hermione spoke to Draco though she didn't look up from her work. She was seated at Hagrid's desk in the Care of Magical Creatures classroom, grading the last set of papers turned in by the third year students before the weekend started. Draco pressed his lips together and pulled out a chair of a nearby desk and sat down quietly. He was going to start off by telling her to give Severus another chance, but had to push that thought from his mind with her strict orders. He didn't like the first punch she had given him, and didn't fancy another.

"Honestly, you think these students would be able to tell the difference between a flying horse and Pegasus by now." Hermione was pulling at her hair and pushed the papers away from her, dropping her quill on the desk in frustration.

"Maybe Hagrid will locate Pegasus and bring her in." Draco mused. Hermione glared at him.

"Him." She said. Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Pegasus is a he, not a she, and it would do well to brush up on your Greek mythology." Again, Draco raised his eyebrow. Hermione sighed, reached for the papers she had pushed away and returned to grading.

"The last known whereabouts of Pegasus is in the sky, the constellation. Even if he wanted to, Hagrid could never reach that far to bring him down."

"I'm sure you could find a way." Draco teased. Hermione looked up and this time grinned at him. He flashed a smile back, crossed an ankle over a knee and bounced his foot. His attention was drawn to the Moon Frog cage where the frogs had nestled together in one corner, forming a pile that looked more like stacked stones than anything. He went over to them, noticing that one was missing and separated all of them to count them for himself.

"'Mione?" He asked, looking over his shoulder. "You're missing a frog."

"One of them was sick, we contained it alone on the table over there." She lifted her hand just enough to point in the general direction of the cage. Draco looked at it, not seeing the frog in it, and stepped closer to confirm. There was no frog in the cage.

"He's...he's not in here." Draco said.

Those words were enough to get Hermione out of her chair and away from her grading. Missing a frog was a bad thing, and she did not want to be chasing another frog down knowing what she went through last time. She joined Draco at his side and glanced in the cage, then ran over to the other cage, pointing her finger at each one twice over to make sure their count was right, and then counting as she kept a finger on each frog to make sure she just wasn't counting wrong. Every way she did it, the count remained at four.

"Oh no." She gasped. Draco looked to her and saw she had turned pale.

"This isn't good." She said and quickly ran out the door, Draco once again following after her.

Hermione had ran to Hagrid's hut just a short, up-hill distance away and rapidly knocked at his door. Within seconds, and just as Draco had caught up, panting, Hagrid answered. His large, red eyes were the first thing noticeable, and as he looked at Draco, and then at Hermione, he broke down into heaving sobs.

"He's dead." He cried. "I though' tha' maybe he was too cold an' brought 'im inside to the fire." Hagrid stepped aside, allowing Hermione and Draco to enter.

"It didn' help."

Hermione raced to the fireplace and saw on the hearth, placed upon a fuzzy towel, the body of the fifth Moon Frog. It's powdery sparkle had faded away. It didn't glisten as it should have being so close to the flames. It's eyes were closed. She turned slowly, seeing Hagrid had sat in a chair, Draco standing next to him looking worriedly better him and Hermione. Hermione approached him, trying not to cry herself, then immediately threw herself to hug the giant.

"I'm so sorry, Hagrid." She said. "I'm so sorry."

"If I only knew how to care for a sick Moon Frog, I could've helped 'im." Hagrid let out a few deep hiccups. "I could have saved 'im."

Hagrid sobbed again. Hermione looked at Draco whose forehead was burrowed so deeply together, the creases made aged him by five years. Hermione pouted, hating to see her friend in such agony, then it dawned on her. She stood upright and grabbed Draco's arm.

"Hagrid, I have an idea." She said. Draco had to only take a moment before that idea also dawned on him. She didn't need to pull him hard before he was running beside her to the castle. By the time they reached the potions classroom, a plan had been formed. Draco was to take the box used for catching spirits directly to Hagrid's while Hermione remained behind to get Color Mortis warmed up and ready. Though being in the potions classroom working on a potion meant for Severus had put her on edge, knowing she was working on it to help a friend was the drive that kept her from turning back or giving up. She had no idea if the Resurrection Stone would even have an effect at all, if it even worked after a third of the Hallows had been destroyed, but she could only hope.

She feared destruction as she watched the Color Mortis potion fight to stay inside the container she had placed it in for storage, it had grown thick and clung to the sides as if reluctant to be of any use, and it smacked into the cauldron only after Hermione had given the container a good shake. It jiggled, sitting there looking like old putty, taking a while to melt itself into liquid form after Hermione had heated a small fire underneath, and coated her stirring rod with a thick, blue gummy substance as she tried stirring. It took the better part of an hour before the potion had resumed its normal form, and she cast a quick protection spell around it to keep both the fire under, and the potion inside of the cauldron before she carried it out of the castle and down the hill to Hagrid's hut. Draco held the box out to her the minute she stepped through the door, Hagrid watching them carefully from his table. He had only heard of the potion through Hermione, had never seen it, only having caught Severus in the flesh during a rare moment when he'd walk around the castle grounds from afar.

Hermione took the box from Draco as soon as she freed her hands from the cauldron-which was placed on the table. When Draco removed the Stone from his pocket, an audible gasp was heard from Hagrid, his jaw working to form words, but nothing came out. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, holding it out to him.

"Turn it in your hand three times." She said, knowing from her research that in doing so, it should bring back the ghost of the chosen loved one. "Think of the frog and turn it three times over, then drop it into the potion."

"Is that how it's done?" Draco asked. Hermione furrowed her brow at him before shrugging. She hadn't a clue, actually. Seeing as this had never been done before, the only way to find out if it would work was to try. Trial and error was the only way, and she looked back to Hagrid who had closed his eyes tightly in concentration. His thick fingers held the rock that looked so tiny within them, and he began to turn it. After the third turn, he opened his eyes, gave one last longing glance at the stone and let it fall into the bright blue liquid that almost glowed in Hagrid's dimly lit cabin. The liquid seemed to swallow the rock, folding it under the surface quickly and hiding it deep within the cauldrons belly. Hermione held the box over the cauldron and opened it just enough to allow whatever had been inside to fall out, expecting to hear a splash of some kind, or a plopping noise when the spirit had been dumped in.

It didn't happen. There was no sound, and for that matter, no spirit to come out of the box. The spirit of the Moon Frog had evaded capture. There was a sudden drop in temperature as they took a moment to think of what went wrong. Of course Hermione knew there was a slim chance it would work at all, it was worth a try, and she had immersed herself into believing that it would happen immediately. She wanted to so badly see the small, glimmering body of the Moon Frog climb from the liquid, up the stirring rod and into the palm of her hand, but nothing of the sort had happened. She even would have settled to have captured one of Hagrid's many other deceased pets ending up alive again, something that would have made the tears and sweat that went into the potion worth it.

"I'm..." Hermione bit her lips together and shook her head, placing the box down gently beside the cauldron. "...I'm sorry, Hagrid." She said in a whisper before she stepped away and left, wanting to get far away from the hope she let build. There was still a lot of experimenting to be done, she was aware of this, but she had hoped for a miracle.

She didn't get far, managing to take only a few steps away from Hagrid's hut before she smacked into Severus. He looked down his crooked nose at her, not with scorn, but with grief. Hermione wanted nothing more than to be alone, but he blocked her path, pleading with her to stay.


	10. The Apology

"You're drunk." Hermione pointed out rather dryly. Severus had been able to stand on his own, but he was swaying dangerously back and fourth and she could smell the stale sweetness of brandy on his breath. He didn't protest, but flapped his mouth a time or two before any sound came out of it.

"I am not." Severus said, though he certainly was tipsy. There wasn't much moon left and he didn't want the shadows of his rooms taking any precious moonlight away from him, so he had ventured outside as there were no overhanging trees on the parts of the grounds he navigated through to steal his light. Clutching his bottle to his chest as if it had been the most precious thing he owned, he had expected to be alone until he had seen Hermione and Draco run from Hagrid's Hut into the castle. He had stared at the door, getting lost in a muddled swirl of empty thoughts thinking he had imagined it, until Draco had reappeared running back to the Hut, a box Severus knew from sight clutched tightly between his pale hands. He had turned back to watch the door, waiting for Hermione to follow after and almost gave up when finally she reappeared, floating a cauldron beside her. Sneakily, he had followed her down to Hagrid's where he peered through a window and watched as the box Draco had possessed was being tipped over the potion. He had been holding his breath, only realizing it when it escaped him in one long and heavy sigh when it didn't work.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and tried to step past, but Severus grabbed her arm, swaying slightly as she pulled away.

"I want to talk." He said, expecting her to argue. When she didn't, and remained standing there expectantly, swaying, Severus found himself lost for words. He had hoped she'd argue, if only a little bit, to help get him started. Her toe, which had started tapping impatiently, had sent his mind reeling. So many things he wanted to say and every single word wanted to come out at once leaving no space for even a comprehensible word to happen. His hand holding the bottle went limp at his side, his shoulders slumped and his head hung slightly in defeat.

"I'm sorry." He said, causing Hermione's head to tilt. "Merlin, Hermione, I'm sorry." He found himself breathless, feeling as if he had just ran a marathon. "I'm an arse, not worthy of your affection, and I'm sorry."

Hermione was just as shocked, her arms dropping though she kept her hands tightly folded together at her hips and she shifted her weight on her feet. She hadn't expected an apology and hearing it had made her feel slightly guilty, though she didn't know why. As the silence pressed on between them, Severus began to turn sheepishly, a bit clumsily to leave, but she reached out in time to grab his arm. His black eyes stared for a moment at her hand, then moved to her face. She was neither sad nor happy, but was intently watching him back.

"Will you tell me what's going on?" She asked. Severus straightened up some, the hand holding the bottle lifting a few inches in an attempted shrug, but he sighed.

"I fear there's not enough time to explain."

Hermione dropped his arm. "Not enough time." She repeated tiredly, as if she didn't believe him, then brought her lips into a straight, tight line. Severus started, afraid he'd lose her attention and unsure how to word it let the words come out as they pleased.

"I'm fading, Hermione. As we speak I feel myself getting weaker. I thought pushing you away would lessen the pain for both of us, but it hasn't, it's made it worse and I'm a right git for even thinking it would help, but I'm losing, holding on is beyond my power and I'm fading regardless of what happens."

Hermione pointed a finger and began to prod at him gently.

"You feel quite solid to me." She said, but Severus shook his head, grabbing her hand with his.

"I'm being serious."

Hermione regarded him silently.

"I came back for a reason. To find love. And I found it." He said, brushing his hand tenderly against Hermione's fingers. He felt heavy, like he was experiencing all of his senses at once for the first time, and it caused him to sway under the effects of the alcohol he had consumed. Hermione had blushed and she figured he hadn't exactly heard himself speak until he had continued.

"I found it, and accepted it, and now I'm being called back."

"You've just had too much to drink." Hermione said. She took her hand from his, replacing it around his back, her other hand on his arm and she began to guide him to the castle. He obliged her for a few steps, then refused, holding against her pressure.

"I don't want to go in." He whispered.

"Some sleep will do you good." Hermione insisted, giving him a tug. In one quick motion, one Severus was too clumsy to stop, Hermione had managed to grab the bottle out of his hand. Severus reached for it, but she held it at bay. Incidentally, this was the lure she used, leading him into the castle and down the hallways into the dungeon, only returning it hesitantly when they were safely behind his door and he had stepped once more into the rays of faint moonlight that filtered through the few windows. Severus didn't want to go in, but he wasn't about to go without a drink either; it was the only thing he had that helped dull the worry, and the thing that made it bearable to speak his mind to her, and was forced to follow Hermione into his rooms.

"Did you mean it?" Hermione asked when too much time had passed between talking and she worried he had fallen asleep on his feet. "When you said you came back to find love and you found it?"

"I meant it." Severus whispered. It felt weird admitting it. Never before had he told anyone how he felt, and remained awkward no matter how much he wanted to scream it. He feared outright saying it, worrying that if the words left his lips he would cease to exist at that moment the last letter of the last word had been spoken. "I do mean it." He rephrased his answer, lifting the corners of his lips up slightly and watched Hermione blush under his gaze before he took a large swig from his bottle.

"I want to hear you say it." Hermione said. Severus paused in his drink, then finished in a hurry, shaking his head.

"I can't." He said, wincing slightly under her gaze that felt as hot as the fire she had started in his fireplace. "I mean I want to, but I can't...I..." Allowing himself to fall into his chair, he rubbed at his temples with one hand. "I'm not ready to leave." He said. Though the words were right there in his throat, nearly choking him and he would have gladly come out an expressed himself to her if their situation had been different, he knew he wanted to hang on to as much life as he had left and refused to so much as mutter anything that sounded like 'I love you.' Hermione lifted her nose at him, that look of disappointment returning again and she stood, brushing her hands against her robes, and turned sharply - a move that she no doubt had learned from him - and threatened to leave.

"Please!" He cried after her. "Please stay. Don't leave." There was a certain whine to his voice, something Hermione had never expected to hear from him. The look he was giving her had been so forlorn that she found herself unable to make it to the door. Sighing, she stepped back to the seat that was barely in the moonlight, but allowed enough power for Severus to reach out and pull her to him. She curled into his arms, though she wasn't ready to fully forgive him.

The room was slightly fuzzy when she woke, remembering how comfortable she had felt in Severus' arms that they had fallen asleep on the couch, and it took her a moment to realize that her head had sunken into his chest, the fuzziness had just been her own sight looking through Severus and when she lifted her head, his living room came clearly back into view. Her nose had grown cold, the ghost she was laying on providing no heat at all and if at all possible, seemed to suck it out of her like a vacuum. Somewhere between awake and asleep she had decided to let him win this round. She couldn't force him to say the words she wanted to hear, and wouldn't. He needed time and knowing that he at least was thinking along the lines had woken refreshed and ready to give another go at them. Then she looked over at him and panicked. Though he was normally an opalescent sheen and usually very slightly difficult to see, making out his outline had taken extra effort. As unusual as she thought it seemed, Severus had indeed faded, appearing to even be sickly if it was at all possible. Severus remained sleeping on the couch, a lackluster finish made it even harder to discern him from the couch itself. Reaching out, she placed her hand lightly above him, hovering it over his skin; he felt much colder than usual, though her frozen nose should have been the first indication something wasn't right. She sat back, then stood up and began searching the room almost frantically. How did one warm up a ghost?

Severus woke up as she took a chance and threw a blanket over him, and as expected at the last minute, the blanket floated right through him. He found it took all of his concentration to open his eyes and watch as she ran from the room in the direction of the bathroom. He heard water running and knew she was filling the bathtub. The water still audible, she appeared again noticing he had woken up.

"Come on." She said, knowing better than to reach out and try to grab him, settling instead for waving her arms in a 'follow me' motion. Severus pushed himself over, feeling lightheaded and had to rest a moment before he had enough muster to sit up. Floating was a bit easier, it was something that came second nature to him, and immediately floated himself above the couch a few inches.

"What are you doing?" He asked, his voice coming out more strained than he had ever heard it. The rush of vertigo hit him again as he spoke, and if he didn't know any better, could have said he had a sudden onslaught of the flu.

"Making you warm...er...warmer..." She waved her hand a bit more urgently and led the way. The bathroom had thickly steamed over by the time Severus had reached the door and pressed through it. It was like one large cloud had moved into his bathroom, one that was hot and sticky even against his own misty form. It did feel good though, and as Hermione had mimed him into the water, he did feel a bit warmer though he was certain it was just in his mind. He hadn't the strength to worry about it, allowing himself to fully submerge beneath the water. It felt nice and he would have liked to stay under the water for the rest of the day if it wasn't for Hermione, who had begun swirling the water with her hands. He let his head pop out of the water.

"This isn't working." Hermione said.

"It feels nice." He said, beginning to slip under the water again, but Hermione shook her head.

"You turned the water cold." She pouted, shaking her hands to bring feeling back into her frozen fingers. "I'm getting Pomfrey."

To Severus, the water felt fine, but Hermione didn't give him a chance to protest. She ran from the room, quickly making her way through the halls, and found herself in the hospital wing in no time. Pomfrey, however, had been nowhere near her office, and with the beds empty, wondered if she'd even be back soon. Knowing she'd have more luck running into her in the hospital wing than if she were to try and actively search her out within the castle, had sat upon a bed, her hands wringing together in her lap, and waited.

A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope it's off to a wonderful start for everyone, and as such, I figured I'd post this chapter. I wanted to add more, but it really has been a long time and didn't want to keep anyone waiting, so I edited (it was beginning to sound like the incident reports I write for work!). If anything it means an extra chapter or two for the story =^^= Well there you are! Hope you enjoyed! Posting should be happening more often now that the holidays are over and I'll have more free time to write. #MuchExcite


	11. Draught of Peace

"It worked! Hermio-oh sorry, move, idiot-Hermione! Hermione!" Draco dashed through the hallways, the moon frog clutched between his hands. It croaked softly, it's rows of large, shining black eyes seeming to pop out of its head as Draco pressed through the lunch hour rush of students. He bumped into a few of them unceremoniously and unforgivingly, hurting to find her. He reached the Great Hall expecting to see her sitting among her house, but drooped slightly when he didn't see her.

"You there!" He picked out the closest Gryffindor. "Have you seen Granger?"

"Who?" The Gryffindor replied and Draco didn't waste any breath picking out another to ask. It was Luna who had tapped his shoulder to get his attention before he began harassing the entire Gryffindor household and had directed him to the infirmary where she had seen her. Before Luna could say anymore, let alone explain more about going there to find some potion to get the Snozzies out of her feet, Draco had taken off at a run, heading to the first level, and down the hallway that led him to the large infirmary doors.

She was in there, standing in the doorway to Madame Pomfrey's office almost battering the medi-witch on how to heal a sick ghost, and called out to her. Madame Pomfrey looked grateful that Draco had stopped the questions that came at her, waving her hand in a shooing motion as Hermione turned. She noticed the frog at once that Draco had been holding up and out to her.

"It worked!" He said, thrusting the frog into her hands so she could feel for herself. Hermione took the frog, her mouth agape, examining the frog as if it had been the first time she'd seen one. It kicked at her hands with its back legs in protest, but she didn't let it go.

"You're putting me on." Hermione gasped, unbelieving, squeezing the frog until it expelled a thick, white cloud of dust that covered her and infiltrated the room. Draco gave a snorting laugh and shook his head.

"We couldn't believe it either, Hagrid's and me, but it worked! We were at our wits end, but I placed it in the cauldron and it bloody worked!"

The frog seemed to scream as Hermione's hands dropped suddenly and fast. Her eyes widened.

"Severus!" She danced on her feet. "Oh, Draco...he's not doing very well..."

"He's not?" Draco looked worried, eagerness growing, he took the frog back from Hermione as it appeared to be suffocating under her grasp. "I'll grab the cauldron from Hagrid's. Meet you...?"

"...In Severus' room." She was pushing Draco out of the infirmary. "I do hope he hasn't drowned."

"Drowned?" Draco rushed next to her, Hermione blushed slightly.

"Metaphorically speaking, of course. He was freezing twice as usual when we woke up, I drew him a hot bath that iced over quickly when he got in it and he's still there...maybe..." She was nibbling her lip worriedly, "...hopefully," and took off running toward the dungeons as soon as the passed the Entrance Hall.

Draco retrieved the cauldron and had floated it high above the heads of students to keep it from knocking into someone and spilling, eventually making it to Severus' rooms though it felt like it took hours to get there.. Despite the curious looks, he gave a knock on the door. It was thrust open by Hermione who all but grabbed a fistful of his robes and yanked him in, the cauldron steadily entering behind him, and guided him straight to the bathroom where Severus was laying sickly in the tub. He floated the cauldron down beside the tub, not trying to stare, but failing as he saw Severus' ghost, now appearing a tinge of green, the lines of his body turning grey and looking like decay if it was even possible.

"Get in." He ordered, and Severus peered through narrow eyes at him before pouting. It looked to take all his strength to pull himself up and even more to transfer into the cauldron. It was hard not to assist him. The cauldron was tiny; a baby would have been a bit too big to fit even, but Severus curled up easily having no mass to hold him from firing, barely misplacing the liquid, and was soon deep under the surface. Hermione and Draco peered over the edge, watching, waiting.

Severus' head resurfaced after a few seconds looking oddly disproportionate; coming out as full sized head which took up most of the surface.

"This is heavenly." He groaned, and Hermione would have guessed it was due to the cauldron being charmed to keep the liquid bubbling, certain it would have been rendered cold and useless otherwise in no time. Severus had rested his head on the edge much like he had done in the tub and let his eyes slide closed. He retained his ghostly appearance, not even a trace of human-like features appeared, and though he now appeared to be happy and sick, was still fading.

"Why isn't it working?" Hermione asked. She looked to Draco and he shrugged. Hermione grew angry, suddenly, giving Draco a shove.

"Why isn't it working!" She said again, this time louder and more demanding.

"I don't know!" Draco retorted, habitually blocking another physical act that threatened to happen.

"What did we do differently?" Hermione looked back to Severus who now appeared to be sleeping and refused to check for a pulse, knowing that he wouldn't have had one, even under the moonlight.

"I don't know." Draco said. He sighed heavily.

"Exactly what happened after I left?" She asked. Draco shrugged slightly, his nose creasing at the bridge.

"I tried the box again. And again. And again, with no luck." He shrunk under Hermione's anxious glare and growled. "I got aggravated so I grabbed the bloody frog body and threw it in! There! Happy no-" And just as he said it, his jaw dropped open. Hermione followed suit.

"He needs to be solid!" She exclaimed, loud enough that Severus stirred, his eyes spreading open again. She looked at him painfully, and one of Severus' eyebrows arched expertly.

"Do we have time?" She asked, growing worried as she looked between them then to her watch hidden beneath the sleeve of her robe.

"Do we have a choice?" Draco asked.

They pushed the cauldron out of the bathroom to the part of the floor that would receive moonlight first, Hermione taking residence on the closest couch and spent the time staring out the window as if she could make night fall quicker by staring at the cloudless, blue sky. Despite her attempts, the brightest witch of her age failed at hastening the sunset.

An unseen house elf had dropped by unnoticed and had left a tray of food and a tea kettle with three tea cups, but it all went untouched. Draco's stomach had audibly growled, as did Hermione's at the scent of the Shepherds Pie and biscuits, but neither could find the nerve to eat. Chewing would have felt like a chore, and even if they attempted to do so, their appetites had been non existent, the tasty food would have been wasted on bland tongues.

A house elf appeared sometime during the late afternoon hours as well to deliver their supper, Draco jumping out of his seat as Hermione smacked the tray over, spilling its contents all over the ground.

"It's not fair!" She screamed unexpectedly, her voice shaking and breaking. She paced back and fourth between chairs, her hands burying into her hair. She chanced a look to Severus whose head had slouched, falling to the side. Half of his face had been immersed in the potion, and though he didn't look any better or any more solid, seemed to be contently sleeping.

"Tea?" Draco asked, not knowing how to go about consoling Hermione who had been silently sobbing every time she saw Severus, and stood, going to the tray from lunch time and waved his wand. The tea kettle set into action immediately, pouring out two steaming cups of black tea. He handed one to Hermione, who took it, her fingers wrapping around the smooth porcelain, but her hands were shaking, spilling tea from the edge.

"How much longer?" She asked. Draco confided in his watch and sighed.

"An hour? Maybe two?" He looked from Hermione to the cauldron. "Fancy a walk? It may help to pass the time quicker, getting our mind off waiting."

"A walk?" Hermione asked darkly. "Our professor is dying and you want to go for A WALK?"

Draco pressed his lips together, falling silent and sat back down into the chair that already had his form well imprinted in it from the past hours of waiting. Hermione had stated daggers into him for a while longer before she, too, sat back down heavily in her own chair. She reached out a hand and rested it on the cauldron which had been at an arms length.

The twilight hours had just begun before Severus had woken from his sleep. Hermione and Draco had barely noticed it, until Hermione had jumped slightly, feeling a cool breeze upon her hand; Severus had placed his gently over hers. She sat up quickly and scooted to the edge of her chair, leaning in closely to the cauldron. Draco had stood to join, replacing himself on the arm of Hermione's chair. Severus watched the both of them, his dark eyes shining ever so slightly.

"Leave, Draco." He spoke, his voice was nothing but a soft purr. The most gentle direction he had ever given.

"But, I-". Draco had wanted to stay, but Severus cut him off, raising slightly out of the cauldron enough to show his neck.

"Give me time with Hermione."

Draco nodded slowly, squeezed Hermione's shoulder, and had stepped from the room.

Severus and Hermione had stared at each other, neither one wanting to speak, but only just to look at one another. He longed to touch her, wanting to grab her in his arms and pull her tightly to him, cursing his airy form.

"I love you, Hermione." He said. Hermione shushed him immediately.

"Don't say that." She insisted though the words had gone straight to her heart, she now believed him when he had told her he was fading. Those words, as welcome as they were, we're not the words she wanted to hear.

"I do." The corners of his mouth lifted into a gentle smile. "I regret not telling you sooner."

Hermione had nothing to say. She was too busy sucking on her bottom lip to keep her composure she wasn't sure she'd be able to say much of anything.

"Will you do me a favor? Will you promise me you won't let your heart grow cold?" Severus absentmindedly clenched his fingers to grasp her hand, but they fell through her skin. She shivered uncontrollably.

"Let's not talk about-"

"-Promise me." He watched her, she was refusing to speak and showed it, her lip between her teeth again, she had been shaking her head.

"Promise me." He said again, softer this time. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, tears spilling out and over her cheeks, but she nodded. She opened her eyes, nodding still.

"I p-promise." She said. Severus smiled genuinely. His eyes flickered over to the window, the soft golden hues of twilight had dimmed considerably. Stars had begun to speckle the sky, which had remained clear. He frowned, however, his hand dropping back into the potion and he shifted, gasping as he felt his form beginning to prickle painfully.

"Severus!" Hermione removed herself from her chair in earnest concern as he winced, watching him give up on moving about, his head reconnecting with the rim of the cauldron. "What can I do?"

Severus looked from the window, still frowning, and to her. He had paled, though he tried his best not to show that he had felt it.

"I'm hurting." He whispered. Hermione shifted uncomfortably on edge. He swallowed, as if the words were stuck in his throat. "My storeroom, there's a potion already made. The Draught of Peace." He winced again feeling like tens of thousands of pins were beginning to poke him. "Get it and pour it in the cauldron."

Hermione seemed hesitant to leave, but she rose to her feet. Darting to the door, she knocked over a statue of a knight as she raced into the potions classroom and to the store room. The walls were full of bottles, and she recalled from a detention that now seemed ages ago, roughly the area the Draught of Peace had been stored. She climbed the ladder, knocking over vials of potions, until she had found a dusty vial, it's label peeling slightly around the edges, worn and fading handwriting visible. Draught of Peace. She gripped it in her hands and ran back into the potions classroom, tripping over a misplaced stool. She jumped over the pieces of the knight statue that was trying to put itself back together, and threw herself back into Severus' quarters, wasting no time in unstoppering the vial.

"I've got it, Severus. I've got it right-" her voice stopped working. The cauldron was empty. She spun around, searching carefully the room before running through his quarters in a vain and frantic search.

Under beds, in closets, high in the rafters she searched, but was unable to locate even a wisp of Severus.

He had gone.

She collapsed to the floor in tears. A frog gently leaped onto her knee and crooned.


	12. Rest in Peace

Severus Snape stood on a white sandy beach, waves welcoming his bare feet. A refreshing breeze ran across his calves which were revealed from a pair of swimming trunks and almost glowing white from a lack of a tan. A light blue shirt hung open, draped over his shoulders. The sun was hovering over the horizon in a place that painted the sky deep, rich shades of blues, pinks and purples. The salty air was hinted with the smell of pineapples and coconuts, leaving him tasting fruit with every deep breath he inhaled deeply.

It felt good to breathe again.

It felt good to walk again!

With every step he took Severus dug his toes into the sand, curling them up and spreading them out, letting them dig small trenches that filled with the waves when he left them, the water warm, gentle around his ankles. Lazily, he made his way across the beach to a chair that sat empty, a fluffy, clean white towel draped across the back that hugged his back as he sat down, stretched out, and sighed heavily. He could finally relax.

Hands that were small and fragile began to massage his shoulders, his neck, and his eyes slid closed at the feeling. His body no longer felt like pins and needles, there was not a whisker of pain anywhere. All of it had seemed like a far away dream, pain ceased to exist in his memory at all. The only thing he was missing was a drink.

Without much wishing, a tall, sweating glass of hazel colored iced tea appeared in his hands, a small lime green umbrella and a clear straw adorned it, through which he sipped happily. The hands massaging his shoulders grew tighter, rougher, and before Severus could look behind him to make a request to stop, a voice whispered in his ear.

"Severus Snape, what a lovely place you have made for yourself, one I'm sure you've waited for, for a very long time, but do you really deserve it? How does a traitor such as yourself think a Utopia such as this can rightly belong to you? Have you no shame?"

Severus' blood curdled, his hand holding the glass tightened around it. He didn't need to look back to see the long eyelashes that adorned those magnificent dropping eyes, or the shiny, long, black hair that was an outer extention of her personality. Her face formed just as clearly in his mind as he focused on watching the unmoving sunset.

"And what's more? You've fallen in love with a Mudblood! Not just any Mudblood, no. All those bloody spawns out there and you had to chose the one closest to your masters enemy."

"He's not my master." Severus said through gritted teeth, still refusing to turn around. He didn't have to. She moved, sliding her hands over his shoulders, and swung around to face him, straddling him. Severus sat rigidly, his eyes narrowing into hers. She pouted, letting her fingers trace along his jaw, gripping his chin with her thumb and forefinger and gave it a little shake.

"I knew it. All along I knew, but no one listened to me. Had my Lord heeded my warnings, agreed that you were nothing but a good-for-nothing turncoat, you'd have been able to forge a chance to save yourself. Redeemed yourself for your wrongs. Remained on the right side."

"I was on the right side." Severus sniffed quickly, leaning his head back and removed his chin from her hand. "And I must remind you once more, Bellatrix, you mustn't touch what isn't yours." With that, Severus pushed her back, sliding his legs out from under hers and stood. He spotted a small cabana near the tree line and headed for it. Bellatrix laughed, catching up to him quickly and Severus rolled his eyes.

"Haven't you got anyone else to haunt or has the unfortunate state of your own dearly departed master made you realize just how lonesome you are?" Severus smirked as Bellatrix raged next to him. Reaching the cabana, he was pleased to see his glass refill itself as soon as he placed it upon the bar top.

"At least I died beside him!" Bellatrix let out a laugh that sounded like a hoarse breath of air. "At least I can rest peacefully knowing he isn't going to show affection for someone else."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Severus finally turned to look at her. Her lips were pressed in a thin, tightly curved line. "Lest I remind you, The Dark Lord could not love. Showing affection to anyone was always out of the-"

"-You were so generous in telling that sorry excuse of a witch back there to not let her heart grow cold. I believe that she wasted no time in following your orders. The moment she confirmed your return, she went running back to that red-headed oaf of a Wizard without a second to spare."

Severus stared at her deeply, trying to decide if she had been honest, but it was hard to look past her poker face now that he had an image of Hermione and Ronald Weasley back together.

"No mourning your loss, I bet the tears she cried weren't even salty!" She cackled, slapping her hand on the bar top and willed up a shot of some deep crimson liquid. Raising it to Severus, she made a toast, "young love, so fleeting," and shot it back.

"Good." Severus said, shortly, though a part of him had been wounded at her words. "Good. There's no need for her to remain alone while I'm here." He grabbed his glass, running his thumb over the rim.

"Only a matter of time before she forgets all...about...you." Bellatrix added, sounding more like an afterthought. Her hand gently patted Severus' arm as she spoke. "She said she loved you, but did she really." The skies begun to darken, the colorful clouds had begun to grey, turning in their smoothness in favor of rocky bellows. "Words are cheap." A wind picked up, tossing the leaves of the palm trees that surrounded them. Large raindrops began to patter around them, immediately soaking whatever they landed on.

"Never." Severus said, though he didn't sound too sure. Hermione wouldn't forget about him, would she? She had made the potion for him, she had sacrificed sleep on his behalf and clung to him so tightly.

"There's a difference between love and infatuation should I have to remind you. Despite your rugged handsomeness, and your fortunate similar thought patterns, what else have you to offer her?" Bellatrix sighed heavily. "Even if you were living, a fling it would have been. Nothing more." Her eyebrows arched gracefully over her dark eyes. "History repeats itself, doesn't it? Potter and his friends strikes again."

His hand gripped the glass a little too tightly and it shattered. Another appeared, but he paid it no mind, suddenly no longer thirsty.

"I pity you, Severus. You try so hard to find love and just when you think you found it, look what happens." She clicked her tongue. "Bad luck."

A thick, brilliant bolt of lightning struck close enough to raise the hair on Severus' arms with electricity. Bellatrix grinned evilly as it did. She stepped back from the cabana. "Welcome back, Severus. Rest in peace." And before he could say anymore, she vanished.

Hermione hadn't been able to move from her spot in the floor she had collapsed in, succumbing to sleeping there, curled in a small ball. Draco had found her after he had forced his way into the room later that night, and being unable to get a reaction from her, had sought out McGonagal. The worried Headmistress had levitated her, moving her through the dark and deserted hallways of Hogwarts after all the students had gone to bed, promptly taking her to the infirmary where a dose of Pepper-up Potion forced into her had only succeeded in the young witch acknowledging those around her.

No one had known what to say. Even in the start of the next day, they could not get her to so much as utter a word, and no one had forced her to speak. Under McGonagal's permission, Hermione was allowed to miss classes; there was no use in forcing her to go if she couldn't concentrate on anything. Draco had tried getting her to go, of course, thinking that classes may be the medicine she needed to get her mind off of Severus and the potion, but no amount of coaxing seemed to make a difference in her demeanor.

Draco had sought her out just before dinner, but had found her bed empty. Hermione had left the infirmary, and he soon realized after a thorough search of the castle, she had left the premises altogether.

"Give her time, Mister, Malfoy. I'm sure she's around here somewhere and will make a presence when she's ready." McGonagal had said with the news of her disappearance, though the worry could not be hidden. Draco was rushed from her office, the Headmistress had pushed him out with fervor and almost looked as if she was hiding behind her own hidden sorrow. He stood, glaring at the door she had closed on him, unable to understand how she was taking it so calmly.


	13. Plan B

"You mustn't take her words to heart. We all know the kind of person Bellatrix is, and even so, if what we've heard means anything, Hermione is missing you terribly." Remus lifted his eyebrows, watching as Severus, who had sat himself in a dusty old wing backed chair to glare into a fireplace, showed no sign of hearing him.

"There's nothing that would stop my aunt from making you miserable." Nymphadora added from her seat next to Remus. She held her husbands hand, squeezing it with a sidelong glance. "She never cared for anyone while living, she won't care for anyone or their feelings in death either, I can assure you."

Severus' eyes flicked over to the two and slowly narrowed.

"Last I remember the both of you weren't so keen on my feelings in the slightest."

"Ah, but you see, we believed you were-"

"-I was what? Spying for the Dark Lord? Taking advantage of Dumbledore's generosity?" Severus had snapped at Remus, causing him to clench his jaw to bite back words. "You trusted him, sure, but did you ever, once in your time in serving the DA, trust me?"

"Well I...I mean we...of course we did, Severus. We would have fought against you had we felt otherwise." Remus had shifted, sitting at the edge of his seat. Nymphadora had taken a tighter grip of his hand to hold him down. Severus had only blinked back to the fire, a pathetic roll of his eyes accompanied with a snort. A heavy roll of thunder shook the walls.

"Why do you care?" Severus drawled, almost yawning. "I'd expect you to have agreed with Bellatrix, taking her side in getting me away from Hermione, not sitting here like we were old friends, sharing a cup of tea."

"Severus." Nymphadora spoke gently. "It doesn't matter that our initial thoughts of you have been proven wrong. We should have trusted you as much as Albus did. Even after you killed..." She faltered in her words. Severus looked back at her slowly, a leg crossing expectantly over the other, eyebrows raising to urge her to finish her sentence.

"What Dora is trying to say is we understand and accept that you were under his instruction the whole time. You made a vow, you followed through. Anyone brave enough to do that and then continue to protect those fighting for the honest good, is good enough for our Hermione."

Severus repressed another snort of disbelief and opted not to press the matter any further. He appreciated that they were there to comfort him, but still could not forgive them completely. He had spent too many years being the outcast, helping James Potter and then his son make his life and his job much harder than it needed to be. He wasn't sure how to act after they had shown up on the doorstep and had considered shutting the door in their faces, yet Remus had pushed his way in and helped himself to the little refreshments Severus had thought up since he had taken residence in the small cabin-like structure that appeared out of nowhere, much like the cabana and the beach chair.

"So. Sitting around here sulking is not going to get you anywhere either. What if she were to cross over right now and come to see you as you are, here, suppressed and might I say even more sallow than I've ever seen you?" Remus tilted his head back slightly.

"Highly improbable, and if I have to remind you, Bellatrix had mentioned she has moved on." Severus said. Remus cracked a small smile, Nymphadora had leaned into him casually. It made him feel sick, his lip curling at this small action. More thunder rolled.

"She's saying that to get a rise out of you. And from the looks of it, she succeeded."

"She hasn't spoken a lie in her whole life, preferring the cold, harsh truth no matter who you are and-"

"-and I can assure you she's just blowing some hot air into your ears. Unless she has found some way to connect with the living, we have no knowledge of how our dearly beloved are spending their time."

Severus looked at Remus, watching for any little sign that they were just words spoken to make him feel better. A small ray of sunlight filtered through the window, though the rain continued pelting the roof of the cabin, the thunder now distant.

Draco had made his way into Headmistress McGonagall's office expecting to have a word with her and this time not allowing her to rush him from the room or put a stop to his worrying. Day two of Hermione's disappearance had only made him feel more lost, and wondered just how long people would wait for her to 'come around,' before they'd take her disappearance seriously. Yet, as he arrived to McGonagall's office, his plan had already been thwarted. Her office had been empty and she had left no notice of returning soon.

He'd wait.

He had only ever seen Dumbledore's version of the office twice, and had been in awe at all the little artifacts and belonging's he had collected over the years. McGonagall had removed most of them, keeping only his pensive and a few oddball nicknacks, mostly the space had been as cozy as her Transfiguration classroom. A few strange birds in cages hung from the ceiling, all of them looking quietly upon Draco as he sat in a chair, but silent. Collections of teacups still with twitching tails and umbrella's with snapping beaks had been piled in a corner; failures of the students she had yet to right. Draco had found himself disappointed, wanting her office to have been a little less Transfiguration and more reflecting of the woman herself. At least it would have given him something to ponder deeper had he been able to see a glimpse of the non-professor side of the witch.

The paintings had all been the same, and one of them cleared his throat lightly, Draco searching out the moving figure immediately. He wasn't hard to miss, his long white beard, twinkling eyes and eclectic dressing gown made it hard to believe Dumbledore's painting had been just that and not a miniature sized being. Draco rose, stepping hurriedly to the old Headmaster, who greeted him with a warm smile.

"Good day to you, Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore said. "Not in here for trouble, I hope?"

"No, sir." Draco gave his head a shake. "But I am sure to get into it if people don't start taking things more seriously around here. Would you happen to know when McGonagall will return?"

"Professor McGonagall, Draco, and sadly, I do not." His beard shifted slightly as if Dumbledore had twitched his lips in thought. "She hadn't mentioned leaving so I'm sure her absence is only temporary."

"Oh." Draco sighed. He shoved his hands into his robe pockets.

"Might I be of assistance somehow?" Dumbledore asked?

"I'm not sure there's much you can do. Hermione's gone missing and it's been two days since anyone has seen her."

"I never thought I'd see the day when a Malfoy is bothered for a Granger." Dumbledore lifted his bushy eyebrows looking amused from his portrait to Draco who blushed slightly.

"It's not like that." He said immediately, defensively. "I helped her with a potions project and we managed to get past our differences."

"I see." Dumbledore nodded slowly. Draco took a deep breath and looked cautiously around the room before leaning in closer to the portrait. Dumbledore leaned in as well, dipping his head low, an ear forward.

"Sever-Professor Snape has vanished. For good this time, I think. It was before her potion could work to keep him here forever and I'm worried that she's taking it too hard. I've searched everywhere and cannot find her."

"Everywhere?" Dumbledore asked sounding amused. "It would take an eternity to search everywhere. You've only searched the places in which you expect her to be."

Draco's eye twitched. He wasn't in any mood for snide remarks from everyone, let alone a portrait of a dead Headmaster. Dumbledore didn't seem to be bothered by this, and instead lifted his chin slightly, looking through his half-moon glasses.

"Maybe you cannot find Miss Granger because you haven't searched in the right places." He said, rephrasing his statement. Draco rolled his eyes this time.

"The right places." He snorted. "Is there really a right place to look? I mean I've exhausted every corner of the castle for Merlin's sake! Unless she's left the school altogether it would be highly-" Draco stopped speaking. Dumbledore smiled softly at the blonde haired boy as he turned hastily and left the office.

Draco found himself at the gate which opened eagerly for him upon arrival, and on the trail to Hogsmeade. The air was still chilly and he had not grabbed a thicker cloak, folding his arms into himself he worried not about the chill he was sure to get and instead focused his thoughts on finding Hermione sitting at a table, drowning her worries in Butterbeer. He was nearly to the small town, too, before the ominous form of the Shrieking Shack on the distance had caught his attention, and suddenly finding her in Hogsmeade seemed like a stupid idea. Why would Hermione have disappeared into a town that held no importance for her when the Shrieking Shack had been the Professor's place of death, a place Hermione could relate to in mourning?

Draco trudged through the land that separated him from the shack, and peered through the windows when he reached the small building, picking out Hermione's small form immediately. She had been sitting on the ground, staring blindly ahead, and she barely noticed him when he entered the shack and sat down beside her. She was staring at a wreath that had been brown and brittle and looked as if it would crumble under a touch, a breath even. Hermione only showed acknowledgement when Draco had touched her, tilting her head slightly in his direction but still settled on the wreath.

"I'm sorry." Draco whispered. Tears fell from Hermione's nose, landing on her hands and she didn't move to dry the spots. She didn't speak and Draco didn't expect her too, he was only glad he had found her, and when she did speak, Draco's legs had grown numb from remaining beside her, the sky outside had grown amazingly dark.

"Why didn't it work?" She asked, her voice cracking due to being unused. Her lip trembled, but she sniffed in all her might and lifted her head, finally turning it to look at Draco. Though her eyes shined, he was surprised to see they were not puffy and red as they should have been, but rather only looked tired, as if she had gone without sleep for a month. He had no answer. Reminding her that he had not been solid did not seem an option at that point, knowing very well that it would more than likely cause unwanted anger if he mentioned it.

"We almost had it, Draco. It was ready, it brought the frog back to life. Why couldn't he hold on?" She searched him as if the answer was written somewhere upon his face. Draco shrugged.

"I wish I could tell you." He said, shaking his head. "I wish I knew."

"Tell me again what you did." Hermione sounded lifeless almost, her request shadowing hopelessness than something that could help her heal. Draco bit on the inside of his lip as he drew in a slow, long breath. He cringed at the thought of telling her again, feeling guilty enough that it had worked for him, for Hagrid's, but not for Hermione.

"In frustration, I took the frog and threw it into the cauldron." He said, noticing that when he said it, Hermione's face tinted with slight color, making her appear a little less sallow and a little more pensive.

"You threw the frog into the cauldron. You threw the body into the cauldron...the body of the frog." Hermione was mumbling more to herself than anything, but Draco nodded all the same.

"Yes. Body and all."

Hermione's lips twitched though they were far from forming into a smile, her eyes became fiery with thought, then as it intensified, Draco seemed to catch on to her words. He stood up quickly, raising his hands in defense.

"Oh no." He said. "No no no. Hermione, if you're even thinking of taking this where I think you are, I'm out. I'm not going to-"

Hermione was on her feet.

"It will work! It has to work!" She screamed. "Aren't you at all curious?"

"Of course I'm curious, but exhuming a body is not something exactly on the list of things I wish to accomplish in my life."

"Fine." Hermione brushed past him. "I'll go it alone."

Draco let her march out of the shack and watched as she nearly reached the pathway that would lead back to Hogwarts before he found himself giving in. If it did work, if the body of Professor Severus Snape could be reanimated and he'd find out Hermione had been ditched, Draco was quite certain he'd be in some trouble.


	14. Grave Robbing

"I can't believe we're doing this. I just can't believe you actually talked me into this. Here I took you as a lady of class and expectations, not a criminal who would think up something like this."

"Hush." Hermione lifted her wand to the tombstones they passed not even bothering to look behind her to Draco who had reluctantly agreed to come along. Spinners End was grungy and dark all on its own, never minding that the sky had grown overcast and a cold, drenching rain had been falling upon their arrival. "You had every right to remain behind and don't act like you know me."

"I tried remaining behind." Draco mumbled low enough that the rain covered up anything Hermione could hear at that level. Given the circumstances, Draco would have been happy enough to remain at Hogwarts where it was dry and warm had it not been for Hermione's icy grip on his wrist that didn't leave him any choice but to come. "Can't we at least wait for the weather to clear up? It does is no good to be out here in it. My feet are soaked!"

"Honestly, Malfoy." She shook her head at his complaining. As much as she was sure he had meant it to be bothersome, her mind was set on locating the grave Severus had been laid to rest in and retrieve his body. If he wanted to leave he could do so, she had long since dropped his wrist and whatever help he gave was on his own accord. Her breath hitched, her wand steadied.

The tombstone was just as simple as the Professor had been. There was no fancy epitaph or intricate statues that accompanied his name and dates scribed on the front of the stone. The grass around it appeared neglected and forgotten, leaving the eccentric touch of Mother Nature to tend to it. She stood in front of it, doing nothing but admire the rough edges of the tombstone, reality of her ideas hitting her just then; she was going to rob a grave and attempt a potion never used on a human before to bring the dead back to life. The moment was all too exciting, and at the same time carried a sense of haunting danger. It was Draco who drew her out of her sudden trance, bumping into her slightly when his shoes slipped on the wet grass. She pulled in a large lungful of air, and gave a large, stout nod.

"Ready?"

...

Severus had seen well enough to allow the torrential rains to calm, though the thunder and lightning he had yet to see off. It fit his mood just then, more docile than when Bellatrix left him, yet troubled still after Remus and Dora had left. The sun hadn't set, he wouldn't allow that having spent so long living in darkness, the soft glow of his setting sun contrasted the worry in him just enough to keep him satisfied.

He had been enjoying the peace and quiet of the quaint living space he had put up around him. It was warm, and rich, and he would have given anything for it to remain as such if the knock on the door hadn't of happened. Severus cringed at the rapping, his shoulders bunching up near his ears, his eyes slamming shut. He'd stay quiet. Maybe his visitor would figure he wasn't at home if he didn't make any noise, no movement in the slightest.

Knock, knock.

The tapping became heavier, persistent. Severus lowered in his chair.

Knock, knock, knock.

It happened quicker, faster, until it became just one drawn out rhythm and Severus knew it would continue. He rose from his chair, fingers balling into fists, and he threw open the door with such force he was surprised it didn't come off its hinges.

"Severus! I was hoping you were at home. Not disturbing anything am I?"

Severus' eyes skipped over the wizard with the half-moon shaped glasses and the silvery hair, the sparkling baby blue robes, and gentle smile that peeked through his long beard and went straight to his socks that had been revealed as his robes had been hemmed to knee height. The socks seemed twice as large as they should have been, and too bulky for beachwear. In fact they almost seemed to be handmade, a feeble attempt at knitting.

"Oh do you like them?" Albus Dumbledore extended a foot, twisting it so Severus could see the sock more clearly. "I've taken up the art. The patterns are twice as interesting while making the project and it keeps me busy."

"They're...they're, um..." Severus decided not to comment. The socks were hideous, actually with cables that looked uneven and only half complete before fading into a knit that looked loose and loopy, there was no lying his way out of an honest review and instead, extended a hand to Dumbledore, who took it warmly in between his own hands.

"Would you like to come in?" Severus asked, waving a hand behind him, stepping aside to let him through, but Dumbledore shook his head.

"I'd much rather prefer a walk." He said, starting off toward the beach, Severus hurrying to catch up to him.

"How have you been enjoying death?" Dumbledore asked as if the question was not in any way odd or strange. Severus shrugged having nothing to compare this side of death to.

"I haven't had a chance to really enjoy it seeing as I've had visitors nearly every second I've been here."

Dumbledore's eyes sparkled as he grinned.

"Ah, yes, the welcoming committee can seem to linger longer than intended."

"Indeed." Severus agreed.

"I must admit, though, finding you're place was tricky. A bit secluded, don't you think?"

"I appreciate my privacy."

"Always have, yes, but wouldn't you feel lonely in the slightest?" Dumbledore sounded worrisome. Severus, again, chose not to speak and Dumbledore stopped walking to turn to him. "Word around here is you've found love." Dumbledore sounded interested and Severus couldn't help but blush slightly.

"No need to be embarrassed, Severus. It can happen to the best of us." Dumbledore chuckled, bringing a hand to grasp Severus' arm and stopped them from walking further. They hadn't made it far down the beach when Dumbledore had taken the liberty of summoning up chairs. He sat in one, watching Severus until he took the other and then quietly admired the perpetual setting sun.

...

"I should have thought to borrow Harry's cloak." Hermione muttered as they weaved their way through the cemetery, the body of Severus Snape floating a few feet over the ground behind them. For the most part, Severus had looked not a day decrepit, the wonders of magic preserving him and it had appeared he had only been asleep. "How far is it?"

Draco had taken the lead having been the only one who knew where Severus' residence had been. His home had been taken over by Lucius Malfoy, the only friend Severus had claimed since his youth and the only family he trusted to care for his belongings when he passed. It hadn't been visited for a long while, the door taking a few rough nudges to fully open. Candles sparked to life upon entry giving them just enough light to navigate through the front room and to a space they could find large enough to unpack their things.

Hermione lowered Severus gently to the ground then grabbed into the darkness of her cloak, pulling out the cauldron she had shrunk down to fit inside a pocket. She placed this next to Severus and pointed her wand at it.

"Engorgio." She said, the cauldron expanding until it became big enough to fit the body inside. Lighting a small fire, they sat quietly, watching the rich blue flame under the cauldron flicker.

...

"May I ask you an intrusive question?" Dumbledore had leaned back in his chair, legs stretched out in front of him, hand folded across his stomach. It was rather odd to see him in such leisure that Severus had chosen to look anywhere else but at the old wizard. He had been so used to a casual proper Albus that seeing him this relaxed did not feel right.

"Whether my answer, it's never stopped you from asking intrusive questions before." Severus pointed out. Dumbledore chuckled.

"I'm merely curious to know if you'd be truly at rest here."

"Is there ever such a thing as truly rested?"

"There is, but only if you truly want it."

Severus narrowed his eyes, not from anger or annoyance, but from perplexity. He could feel Dumbledore watching him and he still refused to return his gaze.

"This potion that Hermione has rendered, it had a purpose. She is not one to quit, therefore it is safe to assume she is still attempting to justify it."

"Without a doubt." Severus answered dryly.

"And if she succeeds, it's also safe to assume she'll use it to bring you back to the living world."

"She's already succeeded." He took a chance and matched Dumbledore's gaze. "It's no secret that she'll try to give me a second chance."

Dumbledore was gently smiling. Severus looked away again, feeling uncomfortable.

"Would you allow it?" Dumbledore asked gently. Severus raised his eyebrows.

"Allow it? I have a choice?"

"Certainly." Dumbledore stood. "You can never be forced to return, that is up for you to decide."

Severus had never seen it as a choice, the animals Hermione tested on had never been given one, then again the animals had only been given the power to feel again by the help of the moonlight. There was no room for choice in that matter, most every ghostly being would have given anything to have that ability. As far as he was concerned, the only thing that had been truly brought back to life was a frog and Severus doubted the amphibian, if it could even be classified as such, really took consideration into its choice to return.

"This may seem like paradise here, Severus, but keep in mind it will only be as joyful as you make it."

"It's not a matter of being able to enjoy my solitude here." Severus answered, rising to his feet as well. "My dreams have quite often wandered to a place I could be left alone, I assure you."

"It's only forever." Dumbledore grinned this time, shoving his hands into his robes. "I'm sure you have what is needed to enjoy yourself for that long."

"It won't be forever. Even if I chose not to return, Hermione is sure to come along sometime."

"A lot of things can happen in the meantime. Suppose she falls in love, would you have her return to you after she's lived for so long in the eyes of another man?"

"I-". He didn't finish his sentence, having no words to say. He hadn't considered her wanting to be with another if she found him.

"If you'll excuse me, I have an appointment elsewhere. Whatever you chose, Severus, it was good to see you again."

Severus watched after Dumbledore had politely excused himself and meandered down the beach, leaning down to collect a random seashell every so often. Being alone sounded pleasurable, or so he thought. Being alone forever was a different story.


	15. Many Happy Returns

The hands squeezing his shoulders jolted him awake and he flipped around, ending up at the very end of his beach chair which ultimately overturned with the weight exchange, sending him to land in the sand on the defense of battling off an unwanted visitor. His mind ran to Bellatrix, coming back to taunt some more, and luckily held his tongue in time to not tell off the green-eyed, red-haired beauty that stood grinning at him behind his overturned chair. Severus hadn't seen Lily in years, but she looked just as he remembered and he felt a tender pain in his chest as she walked from behind his chair to stand in front of him. He didn't look away.

"Jumpy, are we?" Lily Potter, still as beautiful as Severus last remembered her smiled.

"Just thought you were someone else is all." Severus stood up abruptly, wiping any sand that stuck to him from his shorts, rightened his chair and waved a hand to it, offering it to Lily who gave her head a small shake.

"I can't stay long. James and Sirius are expecting me back shortly."

Severus' nose crinkled a little at their names and Lily tilted her head at this.

"I do hope you can amend your differences with them, that is, if you decide to stay."

"So you know about-"

"-I do."

Severus rolled his eyes, not only because amending his differences with those who had been the reason he hated his life was impossible, but also because his life was suddenly an open book.

"Can't get a bit of privacy around here." He mumbled. Lily laughed lightly.

"Your story is a popular one. It's not every day someone is pulled back from here to return."

"That doesn't mean I'm not entitled to a solitary stay, does it?"

"Oh Severus, just as you've always been. Haven't changed."

Just because it was Lily, he held back a sneer that pulled at his lips.

"I just came to thank you." She said.

"Thank me?" Severus asked, a hand sprawling against his chest.

"Yes. You've taken care of Harry and helped him through difficult times. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't in the least bit gracious for your help."

"The boy is insufferable." Severus lifted his chin slightly. "Takes after his father. If he wasn't your son I'd have nothing to do with him."

"Which is saying a lot coming from you. For what its worth, it means the world to me. Thank you." She reached out and placed a hand on Severus' arm, giving it a light squeeze. His lips turned up slightly at her touch, and he wanted to grab the hand that touched him so badly, wanted to hold it and nothing more, but he resisted.

"I do regret never forgiving you while I had the chance." Lily said. "It was foolish of me."

Though he was beyond elated hearing it, there was a small bit of anger that churned in him. Having never forgiven him had darkened an already troubled spirit. She had ruined him and he had never recovered. He bit his lips together and took a step back from Lily.

"You had your reasons." Was all he said. It was all he could say without giving himself away. Lily still captivated him and even in death he knew it was not his place to show it.

"Childish and selfish reasons." Lily said. "I became more concerned about my own image than bothering to remember our friendship."

Severus wanted to agree, but looked down instead to avoid the temptation.

"I hope we can start our friendship over. Bury our differences." Lily was biting her lip and just the look on her face alone was enough to melt Severus' heart all over again. As much as he wanted to hold a grudge against her, this was Lily, one of the only people he would always care about and found it hard to refuse the offer.

"Thank you." He said softly, meaning it. A weight had lifted at her forgiveness and suddenly it felt like he had been granted a new outlook on life. The thing he had most pined for had remedied years of heartbreak and torture just to have the friendship of the first woman he had ever cared about back again. As joyful as he felt, he couldn't help but pout slightly. She was the first woman he had cared about, but recently there was another that had unexpectedly come along. Hermione. The memory of her danced around Lily and though he was glad Lily was standing there in front of him, asking for amends, couldn't help but pine for another as well.

"What's wrong?" She asked, suddenly looking hurt. "Was that a silly thing to say?"

Severus quickly shook his head.

"No, no, it was brilliant. Perfect, really. I'm only afraid my time here might be limited." Severus sighed. "There's someone on the other side who is no doubt trying her hardest to bring me back."

"Oh. Right. You have faith in this woman?" Lily asked.

"As much faith as I've ever felt in someone." Severus answered. Lily seemed to glow.

"Then I hope if it happens, you'll find your happiness." A smile touched her lips and she pulled Severus into a hug that he didn't expect. Petrified that James Potter was around, watching from some unknown location, Severus hesitated in the hug until she let go, regretting his lack of returned affection as soon as she parted. She smoothed a hand down his shoulder as if flicking away pieces of sand.

"I'm glad we talked." She said.

"Me too." He agreed.

"Thank you. Again." She said, and kissed a finger and pressedit against Severus's cheek before softly fading away. He held onto that feeling long after she left and long after he had retired to the shack he had imagined. Her presence had been short, quaint, and he wished it could have lasted longer, but at the same time thankful that it didn't. Too many feelings would have been stirred. No, her visit had been nothing but perfect. All he could have asked for, a simple and proper goodbye. Nothing could have soured that moment for him and for once in his life, he felt content.

...

Severus didn't remember falling asleep. The last thing he knew he had spread out on his sofa, and now he was coming to, groggy as if he had the worst hang over he'd ever experienced. The room was on its last spin before he even considered moving and when he tried rolling off his couch he found he was denied rolling anywhere. There were walls up beside him, preventing him from even getting his feet off the side. He was able to sit up, his hands tracing the walls around him until his fingers curled over the top. Pulling himself up, his head screamed in pain, and he found himself unable to move for a good while.

Why was everything so dark?

He willed the lights to brighten, but nothing happened. There was no sun that automatically lit up the room, or candles that burst to life, and with that strange experience, Severus forced his head to lift.

He was next to a window, and through it he could see ghostly outlines of trees against a black sky. The slightest curve of a waxing crescent moon visible, providing just enough light to finally make out what he was sitting in.

"No shit."

Severus muttered aloud, the fingers that still curled around the edge of the wall he used to pull himself up soon recognized the smooth curled edge of a cauldron. It was large, expanded no doubt, but a cauldron nonetheless. At the slightest movement, liquid was noticed, clinging to his robes and sending a chill through him. He allowed it to happen, and when the next shiver came, he let out a moan.

He was shivering. Amazing.

He looked to the moon again, then to his fingers, and around him. Quickly, he moved his fingers around the edges that he grasped, lifting his body as he did so, wondering if he had the strength to climb onto his knees. Severus successfully turned over, though his body weight got the best of him and he fell, flopping for a moment as he fought to get his hands under him to push himself out of the liquid he was suddenly swallowing. And when he succeeded in not drowning? He let out a guffaw, whooping lively, laughing at the reflection he was sure that was staring back at him from the liquid, and managed somehow to pull himself over the edge of the cauldron.

He landed on his shoulder, meeting the floor with a soggy thump, and he sprawled out, tired from the effort it took just to move that far. He was laughing again, at the ceiling. Deep, throaty signs of amazement sounded from him and echoed through the room.

He realized where he was then. Not the shack he had imagined for himself, but in the familiar curves and corners of his home. Spinner's End was a sight for sore eyes, but it never looked lovelier to him than it did at that moment. His hand brushed against something else familiar, and at the moment he was able to grasp the wand firmly between his fingers, bright sparks flew from its tip, a brilliant light that could have blinded even the hard of seeing had illuminated the world around him, and lingered, catching the candles scattered around his living room aflame and sent an otter spiraling around the room.

He rose to his feet, his knees wobbling, but was standing, using the windowsill as leverage. He looked to the moon again. The light it gave was not much, illuminating just a small section around him and timidly he pushed a hand through it, into the space outside of the moon's lighting.

His hand remained solid. It didn't burn, or hurt in anyway, and why he expected it to had astounded him. Had he really been a ghost for so long that he forgot what it felt like to be alive outside of the freedom only the moon could provide? Cautiously still, he pressed further outside of his prison. His arm, a foot, and soon his whole self had been removed from the confines of the window and he was just as visceral as ever.

He was laughing again.

Punching the air, he danced his way around the living room keeping a conscious effort to steer clear of the window and its moonlight. He ran around, heading for the stairs, and tripped as his feet refused to work with him. The small sensation of pain that ran from his wrists and though his shin bones as he landed was welcome, however; it had been a long time since he had felt any kind of physical pain and it felt wonderful.

Pushing off of the stairs, he continued his climb, slower this time, getting used to raising his feet one after the other and finished a victory run around the second level of his house. He slipped back down the stairs, a quarter of them rolling beneath his feet as if it had transformed into a slide, but he had caught his balance this time like an old pro. He had also caught his reflection in a full length mirror, and this had made him stop.

It had been a long while since he's seen himself in the flesh. He looked old, older than he should have been. Instead of a dashing thirty-nine year old he was, the wrinkles and stress signs on his face made him look twice that. His fingers traced the smooth glass then traced his own face, there wasn't enough anti-aging potion he felt that could fix it, but was soon pulled from worrying about his appearance to the robes he was wearing. They were simple and black, but overly formal. Though the potion had helped rid of the grime, he could see the grit that had collected and instantly knew he was wearing his death robes.

Back up the stairs he went, glad his wardrobe had not been ravaged, and was soon clad in his comfortable, usual attire he was used to. A simple cleaning spell had cleared him from a year's worth of dust that had gathered since the last time he wore the garments, and refreshed his hair that had clumped and formed a stringy mop look on his head. Satisfied with his ordinary appearance, he was reminded of the struggles of life when an angry growl came from his stomach, after all, it had been almost a year since he had been fed.

His cupboards had been bare as he had expected. There was no reason to keep a stocked kitchen after he had died, and he panicked for only a moment, wondering where he could gather sustenance until the thought of some nice hot porridge from The Three Broomsticks overtook him. Odd that mush would be the first thing he craved, but then again, it had been a while since his stomach had held proper food and had to agree with his hunger that it would be the best thing for him. It would nourish him, running through him like a normal, living human being this time, instead of falling out of him when the sun would rise. Without further waiting (his stomach wouldn't allow it) Severus turned in his spot, the act of apparating greeting him like an old friend, and he was whisked away to the small, sleepy town of Hogsmeade.

...

It became apparent to him that he didn't enjoy Hogwarts in the least bit. The moment the path from Hogsmeade gave way to the school grounds, Severus had to stop, his feet protesting to enter. After being a prisoner within its walls for so long, he held the castle in contempt and if it hadn't of been for Hermione, would have been glad to leave the castle behind. Pressing himself forward, his heart began to pound in his chest, making him stop or slow every few steps as he got used to the feeling. He never realized how earthy the air outside of the school smelled until he took one large, deep breath, and held it until his lungs screamed to let it out. The smell alone was intoxicating.

He pushed the doors open that took him into the entry, admiring how the rising sun had enriched the intricate wooden details in the walls and the grand staircase that loomed before him. He climbed the steps, slowly, feeling out of shape. The muscles in his legs, having laid dormant for the best part of the year, had to be molded back into the powerful things they once were. Feeling weak, Severus toyed with the idea of taking a break halfway up the staircase, but worried that if he stopped he wouldn't find it in him to continue. He forced himself forward.

The noises that came from the Great Hall signaled the inhabitants of the school were gathered inside, filling themselves with the nutrients that would take them throughout the day and anxious to find Hermione, had stepped triumphantly through the doors. The noises stopped immediately, eyes turning on him first with confusion and then with amazement as he made his way down the line. His chin lifted under their stares, and though he would have gladly surrendered himself into the nearest seat for a rest, continued walking, searching through the students for the woman he sought.

Minerva, who had been sitting at the head table, had covered her mouth with a hand, in just as much amazement as the rest of them, visibly shocking herself out of the trance she had been in when he neared. She pushed back her chair so quickly, it threatened to turn over, and clumsily rushed around the table, almost tripping over its corner to reach Severus. He had been shaking slightly, exhaustion hitting him and she grabbed at his arms as if to hold him steady.

"Hermione." He said, even the act of speaking seemed too much effort. Minerva nodded, turned, and pulled him back down the way he came, waiting until they were back in the corridors to speak.

"She said you had gone." Minerva started, her hand gripping tighter on his arm. "We didn't expect you back, we thought the potion had failed."

"I guess not." Severus answered with a chuckle.

"I can't believe-". Minerva turned to him, stopping their progress just to have a look at him. There were tears in her eyes. "Do you know what this means?" She whispered. "Do you know what this will do?" She let out a sob and before she could help herself had embraced Severus awkwardly between one arm, the other hand she had placed upon her forehead. "It worked, Hermione's potion actually worked!"

Severus smiled crookedly at the witch who had sniffed a few times and rubbed her thumb and forefinger at her eyes before removing her hand altogether. She took one more look at him then tugged at him again.

"She's been quite distraught, Hermione has, since she returned. She's told us all about how she exhumed your body and tried the potion on it. We thought you were gone for good when it didn't work."

"Likewise." Severus said. "How long was I gone?"

"Just short of a week...five days of I'm not mistaken."

Severus made a small noise. Minerva looked at him curiously.

"When I realized I was back here, one of the first things I saw was a sliver of moon." He paused. "If the potion remains faithful to it, I would have to think it won't work if there wasn't any."

"A new moon." Minerva gasped. "Part of Miss Granger's worry could have been avoided."

"Postponed at least." Severus agreed. How the brightest witch of her time hadn't of thought of it was questionable, then again if Hermione had been set on bringing him back, he could understand how that little fact could have been overlooked.

"I'll let you make an entrance alone." Minerva said. They had reached the infirmary, and she freed his arm to allow him to enter, but just before she did, had grabbed his arm again.

"It's good to see you alive, Severus."

He smiled warmly.

Severus recognized Hermione's form immediately after stepping through the infirmary doors, though she was laying on her side, facing away from him so he only saw a trembling ball of blankets and hair, and hurried over. He lowered himself to sit on her bed, taking some time to enjoy the rest it brought him and lightly placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder. She did not move, didn't squirm or shove it off. It almost felt like she had been sleeping, and had it not have been for looking straight at her and seeing her eyes had been open and glossed over, staring at some uncharted place in front of her, would have believed it. He tightened his fingers, his thumb brushing against her shoulder lightly.

"Hermione." He whispered. Still, she did not move, but blinked slowly. Her eyes seemed to focus on something and then returned to their daze state. He tried again, calling her name just slightly louder, not wishing to scare her. Again she blinked, only this time she remained focused, her eyes enlarging until she turned her head stiffly. Severus sat there, watching her as she recognized his face, letting her eyes wander down to his lips that pulled back tightly, to his shoulder, his arm, and his hand that was upon her. She met his gaze again, this time coming back to life with an open jaw and a look that would have obtained a scream had she been able to make such a noise.

"I'm dreaming." She finally whispered, pulling away from him, her head shaking. "It's finally happened, my mind has ran from me. Can I not even get peace in sleep?" Her face screwed up, her bottom lip protruded and she was crying, transforming herself from a beautiful woman into something that looked like a small child who just had her dessert stolen. He reached out for her, but she raised her hands, fists displayed and then spread out so her fingers stretched wide.

"When will this end?" She sobbed, her whole body shaking with every heave she gave, but Severus did not give up. He grabbed her hands softly with his, trailed them up her arms and around her body which he pulled closely.

"Then let it be a dream come true." He whispered into her hair. She cried harder, her body stiff in his arms until she pushed him back.

"It hurts...so much." She cried. Severus couldn't help but chuckle in sympathy. Her head still hanging there, he lifted a hand and brushed it against her cheek, wiping back mangy locks of hair and tucked it behind her ears.

"I promise the pain will end." He said. "It worked, Hermione. Your potion worked." His hand moved from her cheek to her chin and lifted it, surprised that she hadn't bit through her lip with how hard she was biting it. Her eyes lifted, still riddled with the pain she said she felt, and judged him.

"You're not dreaming." Severus said. "I am alive."

"You b-better not be lying to m-me." Hermione choked, pressed the back of her hand to her nose, and then launched herself at Severus. The grip in which she held him was suffocating, but he cared not to stop it. He embraced her with as much power as he could, his hand raising to the back of her head and stroked her hair. She cried into his shoulder, soaking his robes with her tears until they no longer fell. When she pulled back she wore a smile. A grin from ear to ear, and she was laughing.

"It worked?" She asked breathlessly and he nodded, Severus' own smile only grew in intensity as hers did and she grabbed him by the cheeks and pulled him into a kiss, their lips bruising the moment they touched. Whether anyone had witnessed it, neither of them cared, and displayed so much passion it wouldn't have amazed Severus in the least bit if the space around them had erupted into flaming colors.

When the kiss had ended, Hermione had rested her forehead against his. Their hands clasped together which were held on her lap and they sat, not dating to break the silence between them. She was running her fingers over his knuckles, enjoying the feeling of his hands.

"Hold me?" She asked and Severus allowed himself to be pulled next to her, circled his arms around her, and held her tightly to him, promising to never let her go.


	16. Epilogue

Hermione Jean Granger-Snape

"Though lovers be lost, love shall not,"

19, September, 1979

22, August, 2075

Severus placed the single Crimson rose at the base of the tombstone and watched as a little girl with springy, blonde hair nestled a crayon drawing behind it. The drawing had been of two stick figures, one with brown hair that curled wildly without regret and a triangle that formed a dress, with uneven wings folding out from her head. The second figure, drawn in black, floated lower than the other, with wings that appeared more broken than anything. Below them, covering an uneven quarter of the page, one solid block of green that was dotted with many unplanned colors the girl called flowers. It did not move, she had protested when Severus had brought up the option to make the drawings fly around the page stating a firm 'no Papa,' and he could only shrug, unable to change her mind.

He squatted down behind the little girl who backed into him, her head hitting his mouth and he planted a quick kiss into her hair before replacing his chin on her shoulder and together they stared at the grave. She wouldn't have a single memory of Hermione, too much time had passed, too many generations had gone by between her time on earth to Hermione's passing. He had quit counting after the first six, neither caring anymore to be reminded of the time apart from her growing larger. The memories, those had stayed fresh as if they had only happened the day before not only from the help of a pensive, but also because not a day had gone by he never replayed those moments in his head.

"What does that say?" The girl asked, pointing to the epitaph that was chiseled into the tombstone. Severus sighed, not because he didn't want to read the words aloud, but because they had a purpose. Back when they had picked their plots, back when their decision of adding that one quote to be remembered by, they had expected that Severus would be joining Hermione. She'd be buried beside him, 'though lovers be lost, love shall not,' was to be placed on hers, 'and death shall have no dominion,' was supposed to be on his. When read together, the full quote could then be seen and understood by anyone who visited. No, Severus sighed because reading this line had only reminded him that he was still alive.

"You know what it says." He said, poking the girl in the ribs who let out a tiny giggle.

"I know, but I want you to read it to me." She said, grabbing his fingers with her hands and held onto them rather tightly for her age. He spoke the first few words as he always did, and the girl, having memorized the saying by then, joined him to complete it.

"Was she beautiful?" She asked and Severus immediately beamed.

"The most prettiest." He said. The girl twisted in his arms and looked at him over her shoulder.

"Even prettier than me?" She asked, astounded. Severus laughed.

"No one can be more beautiful than my little Sophia." Severus grabbed her and stood, spinning around to elicit more laughter before placing her on his hip. It was true, though Hermione had remained stunning and graceful throughout her ninety-six years of life, he found that every generation that came around thereafter was two-fold.

"Do you miss her?" Sophia asked.

"I do." Severus answered. The years right after Hermione's death had been a struggle, especially the years when they had realized he had not aged at all, remaining as he had looked the day he came back to life, from the day they realized he was destined to remain on the earth forever. Hermione had tried getting Severus to give her the same potion she had invented to bring him back, but he had relented knowing that an eternity of living would have dampened her spirit. She would have lost interest in learning everything there was to know in her numbered years, would have grown lazy in getting her dreams accomplished.

It would have taken too much to search for the instructions to make the potion, even if he wanted to. After it had been revealed to the Ministry, it was locked into safe keeping, too dangerous to release to the public, too many opportunities to bring back the wrong people if anyone could get their hands upon it, especially those who were fighting for the next revolution. Though the potion was observed and spoken of; Hermione and Severus' names scribed in every textbook, the only version of the potion available to consumers had been the first version, Color Mortis. It had been a long time since Severus even wondered what had become of the recipe for 'Revixit,' the name they had decided on for the finished product. It remained a strong decision even after all that time that having the chance to say 'I lived' instead of 'I live' was more worthy to her memory than to sentence her to what he was now experiencing.

"Have you ever had another girlfriend?" Sophia asked.

"One." Severus answered. Josephine had even become his second wife until her untimely passing just a couple of years after their marriage. It was enough. Heartbreak did not suit him and choosing to remain single had been, what he considered, the best choice since Hermione had come along.

"Papa?" Sophie asked, sounding scared of her answer.

"Yes?" Severus asked sounding hesitant. She had reached the age of curiosity and sometimes made him cringe with the earnest and innocent questions she could ask. The little girl laid her head on Severus' shoulder and paused before asking, her voice breaking.

"W-will you die?"

Severus rested his chin against her head and swayed back and fourth lightly.

"I will never leave you." He said.

"Do you promise?" She asked.

"I promise." Severus answered. It was a promise he intended to keep. Sophie's parents had caught a new strain of Dragon Pox and succumbed to the effects shortly thereafter and Severus had taken care of her being the only relative that still resided in London. The little child had learned the pain of death long before she should have even known what death was. "I will never die." Severus added. He had said those words so many times that they no longer held meaning. Sophie hugged him tighter.

"You've been alive a long time, havent you?" She asked.

"I have." Severus said.

"What's your favorite thing about being living this long?"

Severus smiled. There were many things he had come to enjoy and so many things he had seen throughout his time, but his favorite thing would always lead back to the same thing no matter how many flavors of ice cream Fortesque's put out, or how many different models of new and improved broomsticks were invented.

"My family." He answered. Sophia lifted her head and looked at him quizzically. He gave a nod to give his answer emphasis.

"What started out between Hermione and I has grown and lasted for decades and centuries. It's proof that a love did exist and will continue to grow no matter what."

Sophia's confused and wrinkled nose slowly became smooth again and her eyes lit up as her young brain put together the meaning behind his words. She pressed her lips tightly against his cheek, a move that always pulled joy out of Severus.

"I love you." She said. Severus' eyes gleamed.

"I love you too." He replied. "Come, let's get some dinner. It's almost your bedtime."

It was always hard to leave Hermione's grave, but with his arms full he found it easier. Sophia had twisted her head around to silently watch the tombstone disappear into the distance as she was carried away.

Through the years Sophia would come to cherish the visits to Hermione's grave. She'd ask the same questions and Severus would answer the same answers in always the same tone of voice. He'd never tell her to stop, or get angry and the more she learned of feelings and the more she understood the true meaning of love, knew that what Severus had felt was beyond what she could ever imagine.

It would take years before she found it in herself to come up with a plan, a list of ingredients and instructions on how to mash all of it together to provide a potion that would allow Severus to finally leave the living and return to the other side, where she was sure Hermione would great him longingly, lovingly, and her Papa would truly be happy once again, and his tombstone right next to Hermione's would finally be erected which she would make sure read,

Severus Snape

'And death shall have no dominion.'

9, January, 1960

19, September, 2394


End file.
